


Navigating Close Encounters of an Idiot Kind

by FancyKetchup



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien/Human Relationships, Awkward, But from a outsider's POV, Drinking, Enter the Florpus DID NOT happen, Fluff and Angst, I beg of you, Irken Empire (Invader Zim), Major AU, OC alien races, Original Character Death(s), Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV is from a OC Irken, POV: from a Irken, Purple is a shit stain, Read the story that inspired this book, Reader is a park ranger, Reader is human, Red and Purple are Bros/Best Friends, Side Story, Slow Burn, Swearing, Tallest flee for their lives, The Resisty Resisting Against the Irken Empire (Invader Zim), They are NOT reader, Wilderness, headcanons, in fact this isn't a reader story at all, reader is not main character, story is not in reader's pov, they spot and see a little of (reader)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:01:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 28,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28079616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FancyKetchup/pseuds/FancyKetchup
Summary: All it took was that single moment with Lyn and Tallest Red. Or maybe it was always there, brewing and the moment that caused this downfall just happened to burst open that day. Now Nav is left with the remaining Irkens on the Armada wishing for the return of their Almighty Tallest.((I suggest reading the work, Close Encounters of the Idiot Kind by TrashqueenAngmar91 before reading this one!!))
Comments: 20
Kudos: 10





	1. First Contact.

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Close Encounters of the Idiot Kind](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20838209) by [TrashqueenofAngmar91](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrashqueenofAngmar91/pseuds/TrashqueenofAngmar91). 



> Welcome to this mini story made for my Irken OC Named Nav, she's (and you guessed it) a Navigator for the 
> 
> And I know it says Reader in the tags and whatnot but this isn't a Reader story! If you want a book that goes towards that AND be a Invader Zim one too? I recommend the story that inspired this one! Trust me it's wonderful!  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/20838209/chapters/55600819
> 
> There is the link again, becuase it's a truly wonderful story and written so well. This story is just about my Irken OC who witnesses the plot/story through here. She has no major role in the linked story! Just a background Irken wishing to get through another day!

Navigating Close Encounters of an Idiot Kind

Chapter 1 First Contact

Never in her life did Nav wish this to happen.

Seeing both Purple (or was it Pur? She could never remember) and Red get announced as the new Tallest was something Nav never thought of. But she stood among the other many Irken who was just tall enough to be so close and clapped and cheered along as well.

A grand party was thrown, (after the 'threat' during the ceremony was gone) but Nav stood in the back. Watching her fellow tall-but-not-Tallest-tall Irken form a line to entertain All Mighty Red and Purple.

(again was he called Pur or Purple?)

(in a sense Nav didn't care, not when she was taller then the shorter Irken's, she could _almost_ enjoy the same sweets and spoils her new Tallest enjoy)

"How lucky of us!" a ruby (but it doesn't look ruby) eyed Irken cheered next to Nav. Another fellow Irken Navigator that clapped her three clawed hands together and bounce of her toes. "In what way?" Nav asked keeping her round eyes on the Irken. Nav's antennae curled forward showing her curiosity at her coworker. However the waved ends often tangled into one another without Nav even knowing. Which had her always checking her antennae.

Sure enough, to Nav's distain the curly ends had curled around eachother. Placing her smoothie down on the table head nearby she reached up to gently unfurl the two black antennae. "Well, why else? We have two, _two_ All Mighty Tallest!" The other Irken grinned out before frowning at Nav. She could feel the distain in the glaze that watched Nav detangle her knot. 

Every Irken had normal (each one had hooked antennae and maybe the rare swoop at the end of their antennae) antennae but not Nav. Like a Defective, Nav had the misfortune of being a sole Irken who had their antennae in curls or even coils. On lucky days those curls and coils turn into waves.

They curl and coil at the end and it's all the more reason, Nav keeps her antennae flat and close to her skull. "Two, yes that is greater then just one sole All Mighty." Nav agreed, releasing her hold on the coiled antennae of hers'. Only after she successfully detangled the two.

Her fellow co-worker hummed in a stand offish way and brushed away the single defect Nav owned. "I wonder how many planets will be under our control with the two Tallest!" 

Forgetting about the coworker and the blender she had with frowning at Nav, the olive skinned Navigator nodded with a toothy grin before pointing at her empty smoothie and then swinging the claw to the smoothie machine on the _other_ side of the room. Getting the hint the green skinned Irken nodded and faced the two Tallest who are currently laughing and coughing on some popcorn.

With no one really looking, Nav bent her head lower, half crouching down to the Table Head Irken and gave the poor sucker a smile. "Thank you for holding my cup." Is all she murmurs before pushing past the short Irken.

She didn't care if the shove had the poor loser stumbling and bumping into another high ranking Irken. She did want she thought was polite enough before ditching the thing. She's part of the few Irken that are thought and seen as the second tallest, the one's who might be in the runner up for being a All Mighty Tallest. Snorting she waited inline for a refuel on Berry Blue Blast Sugar Rush Smoothie, a claw reaching up to cover her mocking smile and her sneering snorts of laughter.

Her? A Tallest? as if that could even happen. 

Slowly she turned to watch the All Might Tallest as they laugh and toss snacks at whoever stood before them. "Dance! Give me a dance!" Tallest Purple shouts out, a angry sneer on his smooth face. Crinkling the space between his purple eyes and wrinkling his mouth. He has sharp teeth but his co-tallest is to busy snorting and hackling into his raspy laughter to save the poor Irken in front of them. _'Poor Smud, he shouldn't have gone in front of the Tallest table. No matter if he was a Military General.'_ Nav thought idly rubbing the cups paper edge.

Slowly other Ikren Navigators, Military General's and the rare soldiers filled their smoothie cups before making way for the taller (but not too tall) Nav. 

She choose the somewhat popular, Berry Blue Blast Sugar Rush. Watching as a small, stubby Food Service Drone take her foam cup from the counter and refill it with the picked flavor. 

Nav has always loved the sugary drink. Since she was a smeet all the way to when she became a high ranking Navigator during Tallest Miyuki's reign. 

The drone gently hands her the smoothie, tiny three clawed hands avoiding Nav's own hands. "One Berry Blue Blast Sugar Rush." He grunts out, red eyes turned downwards. Staring at the floor. Taking a slow sip of the smoothie, Nav gently curls one claw around her antennae. The polite words of 'Thank you' want to come forth but she keeps them tucked inside.

With a final tug on her curled ends, the black antennae giving a final bounce, she turns away and makes her way back to her spot.

The flavor of the drink brings back all those old memories of younger times. When Tallest Miyuki was alive and ruling, when Tallest Red and Tallest Purple where just Elite Irken Invaders along with Nav. When they weren't so bratty and snobby. (She shouldn't view her new Tallest like this but during the Tallest ceremony she caught them _not_ slicing their thumbs of.) 

Nav came from the same cluster of smeets as Red and Purple, same with Zim but no one talks about that Defective Irken. Slurping down half her smoothie and giving herself a brain freeze, Nav wonders if the two Tallest remember her at all.

During their smeet years, in the underground nursery Nav was the odd Irken in the clutch. Older Irken who looked at her already wrote Nav as a Defect to the Empire. Then the Control Brains shocked everyone, even the now dead Tallest Gavi. 

Nav was given the future of being a Navigator.

A real shocker to all those who looked at smeet Nav and tugged on her curled antennae.

 _'Hah! I showed everyone.'_ Nav thought, puffing her chest out and snarling in her enemies faces.

Zim at the time wasn't so happy. He was upset and threw little smeet tantrums over Navs luck on the draw. "Unfair!" the tiny Irken shouted, "It should be Zim not that-that Defective!" She remembers Zim growling that out, snaping his jaws in anger.

Red and Purple (both being just slightly taller then Nav) as smeets weren't so upset over Nav's fated position. In fact, they thought Nav was weird yes, but not weird and annoying like Zim. From her memories they just watched Nav be her weird smeet self and laughed when she happened to make them snort.

She was known as the 'Weirdo' in the clutch. Often crawling the piping in the underground hutch, staying low and on all fours as she snarled and hissed at anyone who got to close.

Mostly those who got close to Red and Purple. After all after she was popped out of her capsule they were the first Irken she saw. 

Not only that but Zim often spent some smeet days with Nav. Chatting her antennae off and when he either got annoying or pulled on the curled antennae of hers, Nav would aggressively bare her teeth at the Irken. 

When the straw of her drink didn't pick up any more of her blue smoothie, Nav forgot about her smeet days. The party in honor of the two new Tallest is closing to a end. Mostly because Purple got upset over the lack of jokes and dancing, Red because she was tired of the ordeal. Cleaning Drone came by, picking up crushed cups and spilled drinks.

Tallest Purple was loudly grilling the small Irken, mocking them of their height before shaking a annoyed Tallest Red as Purple oooed and ahhed at a somewhat tall Irken.

When a Cleaning Drone walked towards Nav, she crushed the empty cup in her claws. Stopping just in arms reach, Nav tossed the smoothie cup into the trash and nodded as they moved on.

As the rush of everyone in the room flood outside, the two Tallest stood where they sat, a small circle of space given to everyone. Two other female Irken stood by the Tallest's sides. Not quite next to them but clearly with Tallest Red and Purple.

No one seemed to care.

Nav saw the soft and fond look in Tallest Red's eyes as he stared down at one of the females.

Tallest Red seemed to care.

Nav also, in a sort of worried way, saw the soft and spikey look in the other female Irken as she glanced at Tallest Red.

Tallest Purple couldn't care no matter how hard he tried.

_'How_ odd.' Nav thought as she passed the four tall Irkens. _'I don't think I've ever seen those females.'_ She thinks trying not to get her boots stepped on.

* * *

"oh her?" The same co worker Nav talked to a few days ago nodded. Her name is Kat. "She's a high ranking Invader you know." Kat had a defective eye color. Her eyes are a shade of blue, but with the rounded red tinted glasses Kat always wore, no one seemed to care.

(Nav faintly traces the hooked antennae Kat has. How she isn't seen as a defective for that and how she hides the blue color of her eyes while Nav is forced to show her curled antennae)

With a rotating wrist, Nav silently asked Kat to continue her story. "Lyn." Kat snorted out upset at Nav in a way. While Nav might not know this Kat in upset that Nav has a higher Navigator position. "Invader Lyn, she's quite the Invader. One of the best we have ever seen, really." Kat moves back to the control panel infront of them both.

"Is Lyn a high ranking Invader or just a new Invader setting a name for herself?" Nav asked echoing the movements of Kat. They are on duty anyways. "Who cares." Kat grumbles rolling her eyes and ending the talk with Nav there.

"Yeah sure, I'll just ask someone else." Nav snaps out huffing at her lower ranking coworker. Nav pretends that she didn't see Kat flinch under her snappy response.

Nav is part of the second tallest Irken. Same with the other Irken female that Tallest Red so fondly stares at.

_'Oh whatever, if Invader Lyn is making a mark for herself then surely more people know more about her. This may be my first encounter seeing Lyn, but it won't be the last.'_

A few hours went past, nothing else really happening. The newest Tallest are slowly settling into their new jobs and are forced to meet every other high ranking member that works for them. Nav is one of them and when the meeting for this part starts neither of the Tallest appear. Nav stands behind her boss, both had been picked picked for this event. Her boss Highest Navigator Pip, stood tall, which wasn't really that tall. Pip was just your average height Irken. Nav easily dwarfed Pip in being tall, but with Nav's defect of curled antennae she wasn't picked for the Highest Navigator spot. 

Beside them stood the others. Each around Nav's height but with the stance of Navigator Pip. Across them, on the other side stood the Invaders and other Military related Ikren. From there Nav can see her. The female Irken that Nav questioned Kat about.

Invader Lyn. 

She stood amongst the other Invaders yet Lyn stood like a Tallest. It was eye catching but the female Irken didn't waver once during the time the Tallest didn't show up. Those around Lyn whispered with glee and smiles, as if it was a honor to be by her. 

When Nav glanced at those around _her_ she felt bitter, as the Irken next to her sides frowned and glared at Nav.

Why is it Invader Lyn got more respect then High Ranking Navigator Nav?

The doors to the meeting slide open with a hiss. Highest Navigator Pip perked up, his hooked antennae raised forward and he even elbowed Nav to follow his lead. With a sound of discomfort Nav raised her curled antennae forward as well, like everyone else. But the one to walk through the doors first wasn't the two Almighty Tallest.

Instead it was the ever lovely, Archvist Pax. 

The other female Irken that shared fond looks with Tallest Red. All antennae lowered slightly, not expecting the nice Pax to enter first. 

She can hear a soft grumble of anger somewhere in front of her but when Nav glanced away from Pax, the sound stopped rumbling.

 _'who made that sound?'_

Was left unaswered through the whole meeting. From when Pax explained to the high ranking Irken that the Tallest with be arriving soon and all the way to the end, when the two Tallest did show up and _'meet'_ everyone.

Tallest Red brushed past Lyn, even Nav could see the Invader's sorrow at not being seen. Another Invader behind Lyn gently gave Lyn a small pat before whispering something. "Thank you, Dez but I can handle it." Lyn's growl was heard but no one seemed to take it in. Instead Tallest Purple was the one to gush over the work Invader Lyn has done.

When it camed to Pip and Nav to be introduced to the newest Tallest, something happened that Nav will never forget in all her years.

Highest Navigator Pip was mocked by Tallest Purple. "You're so short, are you sure you didn't get lost _Pip_ -squeak?" He asked, one hand waving at Nav's boss while the other hand cradles a drink close to his body. Tallest Red stood next to him, a frown on his face aswell. Like they couldn't believe that Pip was someone important. 

Pip's antennae was flat to his skull as she stuttered and huffed in bewilderment. A long green claw was shoved into Nav's face as Tallest Purple caught the much taller Irken behind Pip. "You, on the other claw are much taller. Why aren't you in front?" He asked, his movement's to fast as his drink spilled onto Pip. "Curled antennae just aren't the trend." Nav answered moving her antennae in view. 

The glaze she got from Tallest Red and Tallest Purple made Nav squirm and wiggle her fingers. Did they have to go so silent when they look at her defect? "Oh, shit wait!" Purple gasp out, effectively spilling all of his soda onto Pip. "Red, Red bro! I think this is that freak back in the smeetries!" He harshly whispered out.

Nav could only grin and bare the words the two said. "Nav. Her name is Nav, It's not hard to forget." Red mumbles before waving his claws in the air. After that they move on forgetting Nav and Pip just as fast.

Never in her life did Nav wish this to happen. But she was glad that by the end of the meeting, Pip was covered in dried soda and fuming that he was called short.

Maybe the two fools she graduated with will make fine Tallests.

Oh how Nav could never have foreseen the future.


	2. The Emperor and the Peasant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They do end up leaving at one point. First Tallest Red then Lyn after a few hours. Nav could still feel the anger and saddness left behind from the two with her antennae. No one else seems like they could, maybe Nav is just blessed with that gift with her defective antennae.  
> Maybe she can go ask Highest Navigator Pip if she can see Pax. Just to ask questions.
> 
> About her defect, nothing about Tallest Red.

Chapter 2 The Emperor and the Peasant

Nav struggles the next few days, maybe even the next few months she doesn't know. Kat is keeping her busy by asking Nav questions that even a freshly hatched smeet should know. Not only that but because Nav is one of the second ranking Navigators, Highest Pip is making her run around like some sort of Yuti who had their head chopped off. "Again? How can you _forget_ how to mange the panel? It's not that hard to even find the pathway the Tallest are taking us-" Nav started off with a snarl and a frown as she jabbed at Kat's own navigation panel. "Almighty Tallest, Nav." Kat cut her off, arms crossed as she too frowned back at Nav.

"What." Nav stopped her aggressive movements to stare down at Kat.

She was leaning over her seat, to tower over Kat's own desk at the main room of the Massive.

"It's Almighty Tallest. Not just ' _Tallest_ '." Kat said the last word with the tone of something nasty. As if she was speaking to a smeet who didn't know better.

"Right sure, _Kat._ I'll start calling them that when _you_ understand how to actually do your fuckin' job." The harsh flinch Kat made after what was said had the smaller navigator falling silent. Nav finished up the work Kat couldn't do and slowly sat down at her main desk. A slightly larger navigation panel that was painted the same soft pink hue the whole Armada had.

But the lines and small grooves that make up the panel was inked in a soft yellow. It was a way to mark any Irken on when they graduated. (Tallest Red and Tallest Purple had the same soft yellow lines, then the same colors as the other Tallest. But once they became Elite Irken Invaders the lines changed to be dyed red and purple)

Gently Nav traced the inked colors on her desk before her claws turned to her suit as well. Only the mid section, buttons and the ear pieces had the yellow paint on them. Her high collar, skirt and the rest of the uniform was dyed the same color as the Armada. When she glanced over at Kat she studied the same ear pieces she wore on her head. Unlike Nav, Kat wore a mixture of red and purple. 

No wonder Kat was so dumb and snappy. Kat was brought into this job during Tallest Red and Tallest Purple's rein.

' _wonder if Kat knows that they didn't_ care _on who she is. But Tallest Miyuki hand picked me! Because I was perfect for the navigator job!_ '

But she kept those nasty brewing thoughts to herself. Nav is alone after all, with her curly antennae and the aloofness she gives off. "...thank you." Kat hissed out. Her blue eyes squinted down at her black gloves and her antennae snapped downwards as she murmured those words. Nav could only offer her lower co-navigator, not even sparing the Irken a glance.

She may be a defect with her coiled antennae, but Nav was still a tall Irken. She was given other Irken's respect whether they liked to or not. Not only that but Nav stood at the same height as Archvist Pax. The one who Irkens _gave_ their respects too because they enjoyed her over Nav. (she pretends it's because Pax is sweet and extremely smart. _**Not**_ because Pax has normal antennae.)

Kat worried her gloved claws together, sweating softly as Nav fell silent after she showed her thanks for the help. After all Kat was never good at being a standard Irken navigator. She wasn't meant to be sitting at the front panels helping steer the Massive and answer incoming calls. Kat was only good at the maintenance that came with being a navigator. Fixing the Massive, repairing damages that can happen both inside and outside was where Kat shone.

Not here. Next to a defective tall Irken that is a little _too_ silent at the time being. Finally, after having Kat sweat her skin off Nav turned to the tiny navigator and nodded. Mouth hidden in the high collar all navigators wear. "Whatever." Nav settled with standing from her desk and taking a holo-table and leaving the room. 

She was weird. Nav is weird. Kat knew this and yet she always tried to gain the praises of the taller Irken. Yet she always failed, like now, as Nav leaves her working station Kat can't help but scoff angrily and leer as she leaves. Nav is a defect. Nav has always been a defect. With her curly antennae and lack of respect for the Almighty Tallest. 

Nav is a defect.

Standing idly out of the way and yet totally in the way Nav is forced to watch and wait as Archvist Pax and Tallest Red chitter and laughter together. She is also, in some ways, unfortunately stood next to Tallest Purple as he tries and fails to ignore what is happening with his co-tallest. "You, weird looking Irken." He finally snaps, fed up with ignoring the display between the two behind him. Nav frowns before looking up at Tallest Purple, he has a nasty frown on his face as he waves a skinny claw at her. "Yes, my Tallest?" She answers, wiggling her antennae as a sort of bow.

She doesn't do bows. Especially to when it doesn't mean anything when coming from a defect. Tallest Purple seemed to bloom slightly, with bright eyes and his own hooked antennae wiggling in joy. "What is it that you want? Can't you see _we_ are very _busy!_ " Both Nav and Tallest Red knew what Tallest Purple meant. But his co-tallest only offered a low growl that rambled in his chest and Pax could be heard snorting. 

It was muffled but Nav caught it anyways.

Offering her Tallest a raised eyebrow Nav waved her tablet in front of Purple. Nav froze then, as the Tallest grabbed the thing from her claws and hissed softly at her lack of thought.

She just handed her Tallest the report instead of _reading_ said report. Standing still, as if she couldn't be seen Nav watched as Tallest Purple went through her report files. It doesn't seem like her mistake will cost her much since Purple is too busy doing what a Tallest is supposed to do. Nav finds out way when she heard a soft gasp come from where Pax and Tallest Red are at. Leaning back slightly, since Tallest Purple moved into her way, Nav could just barely see Pax standing close to Tallest Red.

The sounds of a chip bag being opened brought Nav's coiled antennae forward in surprise. A Tallest sharing his snacks? In some sick twisted way it made Nav upset. No Tallest should be sharing his snacks! Pax has her own for being so tall anyways! "Yesh," Purple's words had Nav looking up at Tallest Purple, faintly her PAK beeps to remind her that the defect she displays is clearly infront of Almighty Tallest Purple. But he only gives a quick look at them before sneering over at Tallest Red and Pax. "Not even, I would do that!" He huffs out before shoving the holo-tablet into Nav.

She stumbled a bit, two silver PAK legs shot out to stable herself as she struggled to grab a hold of her tablet. "Red, get over here!" Purple hissed out moving away from Nav and letting the navigator fumble around behind him. "You too Pax...and-uh, whatever your name is." He pointed at the two tall females before making his way to the center, where two tall seats sat colored to each Tallest. 

Pax and Nav stood next to one another as Purple softly complained to Red. He in turn hissed and snarled right back as the two female Irkens silently watch. "Uh," Pax softly started out, turning her head slightly to side eye Nav. "I don't think we've meant." She finished watching as Nav fully turn to her. "Probably because I'm a defect." She answered with a stiff nod. "oh," is all that Pax offers a grimace on her face. 

A few long, minutes went on as neither said anything more. Nav felt a little upset, over the ugly face the lovely Pax gave but it was a given. "How are you a defect?" Pax whispered, keeping their convosation only between them. As a answer to the nice Irken, Nav moved her antennae forward, Pax zoned in on the physical defect Nav sported. "Oh!" gasped Pax as the other female finally turned to face Nav front on. "How interesting!" Pax's own antennae moved forward, showing her interest in the subject.

"May I touch you?" She asked.

"....sure?" Nav answered warily leaning her head towards Pax.

Gently, Pax reached forward and twirled one claw around the coiled ends with only the look a gene scientist could have. Pax tugged on the ends, in the same sense Nav does, and watched the antennae bounce from the movement. "How odd, it's very long. Longer then normal antennae every Irken has!" Pax rushes out, like she found some amazing code that isn't right but doesn't really mess up the order of things. "A defect." Red sneers, appearing behind Pax and having Nav flinching away.

He stood tall and imposing, with a angry sneer and glare in his eyes. "She's a defect Pax. Don't go touching Nav." Those words stung, only because it was the truth. Hugging the tablet flat to her chest, Nav bowed her head and flattened her antennae to her skull. She missed Tallest Red pulling Pax closer to him and further away from Nav. She also missed the pity look Purple threw at Nav. "She's not infectious!" Pax hissed out but she didn't fight further then that.

"You're dismissed." Red stated out, a frown on his face from his talk with Purple _and_ from Pax touching the defective navigator. "Yes, my Tallest." Nav hashed out, chittering under her breath as she turned around and made her way out of the main room. It was just a big room meant for the Tallest to view the space outside the large window. No other Irkens but their personnel are allowed. Unless certain reports are meant for them to see.

**'INCOMING REPORT-INVADER LYN-PLANET CONQUERED: NEW PURPOSE NEEDED'**

* * *

Walking down the lonely halls, Nav slowly read the report Invader Lyn sent in. The impressive invader had taken over another planet, under such a short time too, and she needed the Tallest to send over the new purpose for the planet. There was also a video that came attached but the thumb made Nav's skin crawl so she didn't bother opening the video.

(It was blurry but Nav can see the crazed look on Lyn's face on the thumbnail. She also chooses not too notice the blood that is smeared all over Lyn.)

Hesitating at the large sliding doors that lead to the main room for navigators, Nav stands to the side. Watching as other Irkens filter in and out as she waits. Claws tapping along the metal of her holo-tablet. Lyn was a impress read, a even more impressive Invader as well. From how long she stayed hidden among the other insect alien race all the way to when she changed the leader to a hand to hand duel. ' _It didn't take Lyn more then 10 days to conquer the Papillon race. Only 3 days to get close enough to General De Nuit and change him to a battle. . . which lead to his death.'_ Nav never had to be a Invader of any sorts. Since she was hatched with Red and Purple she was always meant to be anything _but_ a Invader.

She was okay with that fate. Better to be safe within the masses' of Irkens then far away from home, fighting other races.

Getting hurt and the low chances of dying on duty, 

Scrolling to the bottom of Lyn's report Nav reads the extra notes. Mostly just idle thoughts Lyn wrote down, 'break Brindille's house down. Should've brought more snacks the Papillon snack's are pure _shit.'_ type of notes. But there in just thin shaky lettering, is the notes Nav was craving for.

Chittering happily, antennae wiggling in joy Nav catches the handwriting of Lyn. Like she tried to erase the evidence of the notes. But they still showed up anyways. Pressing down on the top of the tablet, Nav shuts the thing close and tucks it into her skirt. PAK humming in overtime with the flooding of emotion, trying it's best to keep the strong feeling hidden Nav strides into the navigation room and makes her way back to the desk she works at.

It's okay if one holo-tablet is missing out of the many the Armada has.

It's okay that Nav's antennae stand further up in her continued joy. Tangled into a knot without Nav knowing.

It's okay that Kat is back to being nervous around Nav when she sat down. Offering a small bag of chocolate popcorn to appease Nav. 

It's the next day that Nav turns to Kat, her sangria eye color brighter then normal, "What do you know of the Papillon race, Kat?" It's another chance for Kat to get the praises of the Irken's second tallest members and whilst the urge to appease and please Nav is strong in Kat. Her blue eyes watches the defect at the ends of Nav's antennae move forward. This time not tangles but just seeing them has Kat growling low in her throat. "Those moth freaks?" She sneers out glancing away at the oddly happy Nav and focusing on the panels in front. 

"freaks." Nav echos, less bright.

"Yes." Kat growls out, hooked antennae twitching.

No one says anything for a moment, the tension between the two females has Kat nervously touching her red tinted glasses. When Kat glances at Nav, worried she messed up once again she is surprised to see Nav happily rubbing her claws bewteen the key letters for 'P' and 'N'. "They-uh, they have strong weather patterns." Kat answers finally, antennae flat on her skull. "Like extreme?" Nav asked back to busy finishing her mini task of looking into the Papillon info page the Irken has.

"Yes, lots of rain and other things." Kat shuddered at the word rain, like it was some dooky of sorts. "Rain. . ." Nav repeated saying it like it was some holy sweet snack. "The info page we have on them say's they have wings!" Nav gushed out her defective antennae wiggling and waving as she chittered out in joy. 

Kat made a gagging sound before ignoring Nav.

' _Invader Lyn didn't write this down._ ' Nav grinned out, tucking her smile into the high collar. ' _How did she deal with the water?_ ' Swiping to the next page Nav spent her time reading about the Papillon race. It was a overgrown plant planet. With high humidity and with rain always falling onto the planet. ' _They're a very pretty race, with their colorful wings and decorated outfits...'_ The now dead General De Nuit was a average height male who wore bracelets of gold. His wings are pictured tucked and folded open, the bright colors of pink and yellow make up most of his look anyways. 

Military standard outfit painted green and brown. ' _Like he can even hide with those wings!_ ' Nav traced his antennae next. Two long antennae colored white with fuzz lining them. Like the dust handlers that the Cleaning Drones use. 

Curled and coiled at the ends.

General De Nuit was the sole leader of the Papillon race on planet Pluie. He had the same sangria eye color as Nav. The same curled and coiled antennae that Nav sports. His wings where bright and colorful, but he was known for being a master at hiding.

Clearly not if Invader Lyn got to him so fast.

"My Tallest, please listen!" The loud bang and the loud voice had every navigator turning to the doors. There strides in Tallest Red, a low growling coming from his snarl as his hooked antennae lowered each time Invader Lyn spoke. Kat is also heard growling, upset at the sound and upset at seeing Lyn. "Why can't you just listen?" Lyn snarls again her hands waving in the air as she strides after Tallest Red.

No one is moving, to busy staying still at the loud growling the Tallest is giving. It's all encoded in every Irken, the deep growling and hissing coming from Red is something every Tallest has to have unruly Irken submit under them. Every smeet and every Irken knows that they are to bend and stay still when a angry Tallest lets out that low rumbling. Nav's antennae tickles and vibrated slightly when Tallest Red stopped next to her station, at the very front of the navigation room. Slowly she turns to Kat where Nav watches the tiny navigator curl into her body slightly and her arms circle under her arm pits.

Kat's blue eyes could be seen since those red rounded glasses fell off her face and hit the panel. "oh," Nav muttered, watching the perfect antennae of Kat vibrate strongly with each tambour of Red's angry growls. They stick close to her green skull as Kat bows lower once Red starts talking. "Ohh," Nav whispers glancing at the other affected Irken. 

Those that where close to Tallest Red are the same way that Kat is like. Bowed and chittering softly, like _he_ was upset at them and _not_ at Lyn. The one's by the door weren't bowed low but they still held their stomachs and their antennae bobbed and wavered with Red's words.

But the only one to act like Nav was Lyn.

She stood in front of Red, braving his upset words and his angry growling like some sort of, of

Tallest.

But Lyn's antennae work the same as every other Irken. Bobbing to Red's words and vibrating under his anger. It was also there that Nav spotted the one stub of antennae. Reaching up, Nav gently tugged and twirled her defects around her claws and her sangria eyes zone on the defect Lyn now sports. Whatever angry words Tallest Red is yelling out brought unsehd tears to Lyn before they are gone. She yells something back at him, her claws clutched together before she points at her missing antennae then to the shut door.

She stands like every other navigator in this room now. Slightly bowed and chittering between her words to sooth Tallest Red.

Nav sits alone, in this sea of Irken. Unaffected as strongly and left wondering why Lyn is making a big deal over her battle scar now. "A angry native almost decapitated me, Red!" Lyn shouted out, her desperation seeped through slightly. But she reeled it in like she was a master pilot. "But I managed to evade in time, why can't you see that this is something you-" 

Red is back to snarling and this time Nav's defective antennae work to make her bow. Her head in tucked into her high collar, whilst the curly ends are vibrating to Red's voice they don't stay slow to her skull and she isn't trying to sooth Red's anger. Nav isn't like the others, even Lyn who all bow and chitter softly. 

No, her defective antennae has her protected from this encoded line that every normal Irken has. So while she may have her head bowed, her curly antennae stick forward, toward Red and his yelling. It tickles down the tips and to the base of her skull.

' _What are they screaming over? Why do they do it here of all places?'_ Nav sniffles into her collar, it smelled stuffy and she wanted to sneeze. ' _Hopefully they leave this place soon. I want to read more on General Du Nuit...'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!! Here's part two, I update randomly so be ready! Im also dyslexic so some words might be used wrong or even spelled wrong, if so I'm sorry!!


	3. Pieces on the Board

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nav finds herself surrounded by the other Irkens. Every size is pressed together as Tallest Red and Tallest Purple stand in the center. Whatever they are saying doesn't matter. The muted video behind them speaks it all.
> 
> Lyn looks crazed. Covered in blood as she raves and rants about. . . something.  
> Behind Lyn there lays a PAK with the symbol of the Control Brains.
> 
> It explains the emotions leaking in the room now.

Chapter 3 Pieces on the Board

Her antennae are irritated and they tingle for the next few hours when Lyn and Red left. Kat doesn't seemed bothered, only picking up her glasses, rubbing her antennae once to loosen them and going back to work. As if Red didn't have a screaming match with Lyn. Nav is baffled, slightly upset that _everyone_ just brushed that off. Attempting to just let the heated moment go, Nav rubs her fingers gently through her antennae and messaged the base at her skull.

It doesn't help much, they still tingle from the emotion left in the air but at least they aren't irritated anymore. "Well, that was unexpected." Kat prompted out after fixing her panel. Her gloves are shiny under the lights over head. "I didn't think Invader Lyn would yell at Almighty Tallest Red." She finished watching Nav rub her wrists all over her face. "What were they yelling about?" Nav grunted out still rubbing her face. She can feel the pressing emotion Red had on her antennae and they bobbed back to relay the info.

"Something about Lyn's recent capture. Didn't you hear? Tallest Red didn't want us listening but his growls said it all." Kat whispered in awe. Somewhere behind them another Irken is waving a fan, the air stuffy after the event. "Oh, well, sort of." Nav finally pulled her arms away from her face to tug the high collar down. Kat was surprised to see freckles dotting the bridge between Nav's eyes and cheeks. Colored a darker olive green. "I wouldn't talk about it. Best we just forget what happened." Kat returned to her newest task, organizing the newest reports she was assigned. 

Nav sat there, in her slightly more comfy chair, watching out the wide window in the room. Smaller fleets that hang around the Massive sometimes flew into view before moving out of the way. She wishes to be back there. In her old fleet where she was a elite flyer with unbelievable engineering skills. 

She wasn't like the invaders who come and go once given a new order. No, Nav was just another simple fleet Irken who was meant to hover near the Massive. "Those where the days," she hummed gently tracing a claw over her skirt. Her PAK still wielded the Irken symbol for the fleets, she has yet for the PAK to show her new position in the navigation room. 

Kat has her PAK showing the correct job symbol. Maybe Nav will take a trip to the Control Brain rooms, where she can get her PAK rebranded. It's not a painful process, it's just a simple they black you out, the ones who work with the PAKs come in and just change the outer shell then they wake you up.

It's easy.

It's not hard.

Even Zim went through the process. Many times.

But he's a fool and Nav just never had the time since Zim caused that one blackout.

A soft light flashing caught Nav's eyes and when she looked down at her panel she got a new list from other high ranking Invaders. Swiping them out of the way Nav went back to the info page she had pulled up. Different butterfly wings flooded her screen. Organes, blacks, purples, greys and every other color was there. Each Papillon member had different patterns and styles. 

_'Do the patterns have a purpose? Is it like here? Who ever has the largest and complex pattern becomes a type of leader?'_

Nothing was said about the patterns and the sizes. Only their weaknesses and what they are good at. From whose important and to who doesn't matter. Most of the pictures for the planet came from Lyn. Since she was the one to conquer the planet, the photos for important Papillon members also came from Lyn. In the coming days more photos will flood the info pages. No longer would Lyn be the sole photographer. 

Nav spent her work hours studying and tracing every photo Lyn took. She spent the most time looking at the smeetries too. Or the Hatchries? From the short summary given to each photo that is what the Papillon called the hatching areas. Also set deep underground, but in the photos their version looked warm. With fabric lining the floors and grooves that held fancy looking lamps. Some type of rock that is glowing a soft ember.

In one photo there was even a nanny Papillon shown tending to the smeets. She wore earthy tones, her clothes looked soft and made out of fur. Her yellow and red tipped wings where loose by her sides as her gloves cradle a wrapped smeet Papillon. Those antennae of her's looked like any other Irken's. Curved and skinny.

She had a fond look as she gazed down at the bundle.

It was strange and so very different from what Nav recalls. So much warmer and welcoming. No PAK was tossed onto the nanny Papillon and the smeet she held. Nav found it strange and she couldn't understand _why_ they would need a Nanny to deal with the smeets. Lyn had marked the Hatchries as important. 

The other photo Nav spent her time at was the one for the food court. It was above, with some sort of metal or smooth wood above each shop. Many Papillon are gathered there, buying or hackling for the food being sold. Some held weird drinks colored yellow or golden even a rare clear. But there was one stand that a tall Papillon stood at. Long fuzzy antennae dipped forward as his apron advertised meat.

Another difference with the Irkens and Papillons. 

They could eat meat while the Irken's cannot.

"I'd stop looking at Lyn's report." Kat's black glove slammed onto the photo showing the tall Papillon. Her other glove reached over and pulled the high collar up and over Nav's face. "Highest Navigator Pip is making his rounds here and I don't want him yelling at me all because _you_ can get away with this slacking." She was shaking as she tucked both arms back into her workspace. Nav didn't snap at her for reprimming a taller Irken and for that, Kat is just thankful over.

"They're pretty interesting. They use their wings to block the rain." Nav uttered finally getting to her task. "I don't care." Pip's footfalls can be heard in the room after that. Light and somewhat dainty as he peered into each navigator's panel. Nav could hear him mumbling to certain navigators and even growling at some. Her sensitive antennae tingled with the growls but all it told Nav was-

' _Some one is being bossy today!'_

When he stood next to Nav, barely hitting the navigator's shoulders all Pip could do was wiggle his antennae at her. Pleased yet also not. He still smelled of the soda Purple dropped on him. "What reports have you done, Nav?" He questioned eyeing her folders. Marked REPORTED and UNFILTERED. "I've informed Tallest Red and Tallest Purple of Invader Lyn's recent take over." She answered, waving her antennae back at her boss. They picked up his slight anger to her yet all Pip can pick up was her aloofness. "Keep up the work, Kat-" Pip moved on fast.

He may be her boss but Nav was still taller. "I will be meeting with Archvist Pax later." She quickly thrust the wording onto Pip and her antennae bobbed in pleasure as the tiny Irken flinched slightly. "Does your PAK need work?" He asked after clearing his throat and pulling on his gloves. "No, but I have important business with her." Kat was frowning, unhappy that Nav is demanding Pip to let her see Pax.

No one can really get away with that unless you're tall. Which Nav is; Pip is not. 

"Yes, then. You may. . ." Pip could only agree, a deep frown set into his face. "Thank you Pip." But it was weakened slightly with the words Nav uttered. 

It was always a pleasure when a taller Irken says thank you.

* * *

It was harder then Nav thought finding Pax. Every time Nav went down to the Control Brain room, the tall female was never there. When other Irken's who work there asked Nav her business she can only shrug. "Is Archvist Pax here?" She would ask, looking down at the Irkens. They would chitter and wiggle their hooked antennae before giving Nav a, "No."

Some days Nav couldn't drop by the Control Brains, during her work shift she would find out Pax was there. Nav would growl the whole day, upset she missed her chance. (she didn't see how nervous that made some Irken.)

Once Nav even caught Pax following behind Tallest Red. Her posture relaxed and content to just follow him around. Lyn was also following, a distance away but with _her_ posture angry and spikey. Her blue eyes glared at Pax whenever the female got close to tell Red something. Even Tallest Purple was there but he was busy stuffing his mouth with sugar to ever care about the females.

They passed by Nav that day too, as she sat on the floor tending to a panel that was acting up. Pax looked at her whilst no one else did. 

It was harder then Nav thought.

About a few months later did Nav get her chance. After reading report, after report made by Lyn. After each report, down at the bottom in shaky hand writting did Nav see her slowly get more and more damage. After see Lyn attack a shorter Heal Drone for touching her.

Rubbing her antennae, Nav could almost _feel_ the anger Lyn let out. Nav made her way inside the much colder Control Brain rooms, Pax was supposed to be here today. Her tablet was humming with incoming data and reports, now it was filled with a newer Invader. His name is Minut and like Lyn he's been making a name for himself.

But he wasn't as angry when the Tallest brushes away his efforts to fond over new snacks or even a tall Irken.

"Pax?" Nav called out, shoving past other Irken, one's she isn't looking for and they don't toss her a glance. "Pax, I would like a word." Nav called out, softly stepping over wires and other cords. A Control Brain over head is humming and softly glows a red color as it moves slowly. 

_'They've always freaked me out. With their gentle movements, and soft colors. But they speak so_ sassy, _I don't want to spend too much time here.'_ Nav slowed her pace under a large Control Brain, watching as it slowly moves to look at another Irken who stood on a platform of sorts. A light is shining on them and it shows their green colors eyes as they await the Brain to talk to.

"Navigator Nav?" Flinching, said Irken turned to her right where the elegant and nice Pax stood. But she looks different, holding her posture more stiffly and her hands clutch another tablet. "Yes, I wanted to talk to you?" Nav moves out of the way, the small pathway she stood on has other Archvist's pushing past. 

None of them really get upset at Pax and Nav.

They are taller then them.

Pax is frowning softly, her eyes glancing at the Control Brains littering the room, hanging to the ceiling in little bundles. "Oh- Of course, follow me." She stumbles on her first word. Her face flushes for a moment before she swiftly starts to walk away. Nav isn't bothered, stuffing her long gloves into the pockets of the thick skirt and sticking close to Pax.

' _She's worried about the Control Brains seeing her act like a defective.'_ Nav noticed, her eyes catching the more collected pace Pax is going at. How her antennae are pressed close to her skull. Sticking to the walls yet also having some Irken move out of the way. 

Her work place is different from Nav's. Whilst Nav could get up and leave whenever she requested it, Pax is stuck here. Following her work hours.

The Control Brains are important and demand the Irken's who work under them to always be on duty 24/7. Sometimes, because Pax is still seen somedays with Tallest Red. Pax finally stopped leading Nav deep into the chilly rooms, choosing a spot that is covered in wires. All of which are neatly roped to the walls and ceilings. "Here should be good." Pax mumbled, placing her tablet on a lone counter in the room. To Nav, she looks more relaxed here, where ever _here_ is. "If you say so, I wanted to ask you about defects." Nav is quick, jumping on her one chance to ask Pax these things.

"Defects?" Pax echoes back looking shocked.

"The Control Brains work with encoding every Irken under the Empire." Nav starts keeping her wide eyes on a worried Pax. "That must mean you encounter a lot of. . . bugs? Glitches? Defects." Nav has her antennae perked up, her curls dangling between Pax and herself. Slowly she lifts one claw to point at her defect. Pax is following her movement like she was about to attack her. 

(Nav is fully trained to kill, after all she was trained along side the Tallest, but without the further training _they_ got. In fact Pax is awere that the Control Brains wanted Nav to be a Highest Warrior if being a navigator didn't work out.)

(The Irkens whose sole purpose is to kill other alien races.)

_(Pax is listening but feels like is this all a distraction. Like Nav was posing as a friend to jump her.)_

"I do encounter a lot of bugs that is the cause of defects in some smeets." Pax answered finally, watching as Nav tugs and lets her antennae bounce from the action. "Well, what can you tell me of mine?" Nav finally relaxes, her stance becoming more loose and her defective antennae is picking up Pax's disstress. 

_'why is she so scared of me? I'm just a navigator with some questions.'_ Is left forever unanswered as Pax also relaxes. "I can-" Nav stumbles for a moment letting Pax take short breather. "With my antennae, I can feel your emotions. The same happened with Lyn. . .and Tallest Red." She finishes her sentence, faintly recalling all the days ago when the two growled in her work space.

"Oh, yikes, that." Pax mumbles before perking up at Nav. She shuffles closer to Nav, gently reaching out to the other's antennae. "You said you can pick up my emotions. Which is strange because normal-" Pax flinches at that word, nervously cradling the curled ends. Nav doesn't do anything but stare back. "-normal antennae can't do that. I guess it has to do with how long yours is and how they spiral at the ends."

Pax is still holding one of Nav's as she grabs her own normal antennae and pulls it forward to compare the both. Pax's antennae are curved slightly, rare but not unknown among Irkens. The end of her antennae is swooped slightly, with a little shine to the thicker parts. When Nav glances between the two she is slightly sad over the differences.

Her own defective antennae are way longer then Pax's antennae, even if they are the same height. But the ends are curled and coiled like Pax said. Not ending in that elegant swoop, instead they are frayed, like a open wire. The very tips of those ends have a small bump, they shimmer under the lights no shine like Pax has. "They're longer and they have those split ends, which might be the reason _way_ you catch emotions!" Letting go of her **perfect** antennae, Pax is back to examining and studying Nav.

Nav can't feel the touches to the curly ends, they felt numb as Pax twirls a claw around them trying to get the split ends to stick together. "Tallest Red has the same length of antennae as well so I won't be shocked if he. . . " Pax talks fondly about Red. Nav could see it in the way her touches to the antennae become softer, and the way Pax's emotions flood the room.

Whilst other Irken can't pick it up, Nav could and it feels so _warm,_ so _happy_ as Pax gushes over Red. Standing close to Pax, she could see the way her eyes glow and the tiny smile that is forming. "But his isn't split." Nav cuts off Pax's happy rant, uninterested in the talk about Red.

_(nav forces down her longing to be as close to the Tallest that Pax is at. She just wants someone to talk with everyday without the_ **sneers** _thrown her way. Like Pax gets, how she isn't called a freak.)_

_(maybe she can befriend Pax.)_

Pax stills for a moment, like Nav shocked her. "Oh, uh, no his isn't like yours. " She flushes for a moment but before anything else can be said Pax's tablet is pinging. Their time together is up, "I'm being called to work. I hope that could at least answer some of your troubles." Pax is moving away from Nav, softly gathering herself back together for work.

It's strange watching as Pax throws on her work face. No longer is it the friendly Pax but instead its the Irken she is meant for.

"Thank you, I know being a defect is hard work but maybe we can talk like this again. Being the only defective Irken with what I have is lonely and harsh." Nav starts as the transformation of Pax unfurls. Pax seems to understand as she grabs the tablet and offers Nav a slight wiggle of her perfectly normal antennae. "We can try talking about the many defects there are in Irkens another time. It was nice getting to study a tall Irken's defect."

They part ways then, Nav following Pax before they leave at the sliding door entrance. It's cold inside the Control Brain rooms but with that many computer parts together they have to keep it chilly. As to not over heat them and cause a major emergency. The doors slide shut behind Nav, no sound made whatsoever, and when she turns to look at the entrace the symbol for the Conrtol Brains is painted there, large and imposing.

_"Rarely is there tall Irkens like you Nav. And me!" Pax is laughing there, a small crack in her work face._

Nav gives it a longer look before making her way back to the Navigation rooms. The hallways and everywhere else is warmer. She feels her claw tips and even her antennae start to warm up. Nav passes by other smaller Irken who make room for her, as to not slow her down. Lyn is there too, looking upset and livid as she storms down. The leaking emotion that comes from Lyn as Nav pausing to watch the Invader.

 _"In fact it's even more rare that a tall Irken comes out defective like you!" Pax waves at Nav, sounding more like what she's_ supposed _to be like. "Like me? " Nav wanted to add on that Pax is also a tall defect like herself._

_Both know this but it's easier for Pax to hide it._

Lyn is growling and shoving her way past unmoving Irkens. Her scarred face is scrunched up in anger and she even scratches at a few Irken as they stumble out of the way to slow. Curled antennae tingle under the strong emotion Lyn is giving off but Nav is surprised to see the Invader take a calming breath at the Control Brain's entrance. With her back facing Nav is able to see the cracks and scuffed PAK Lyn sports. 

Her own PAK hums in stressed worry, like it's worried over Lyn as she's carelessly neglected to care for her Invader PAK. 

_"Let's talk more about this another time!" Pax is fully geared to go back to work. Tablet in her claws and the defect Pax has tucked and bundled away. "Sure, it's nice to find out more from you." Nav agrees with a soft nod._

Lyn takes one more breath before running her wrists over her antennae and the stub of a antennae. Suddenly Lyn wears her own mask, her anger is mostly buried below but it's still shimmering as the doors open.

Lyn steps through like Nav did awhile ago.

_Pax gives Nav a friendly pat on her PAX. "I can even help you switch your PAX to the correct job symbol."_

The doors shut behind Lyn. Standing still, her irritated antennae are bobbing and thrumming with the livid emotion that came from Lyn. It's like a trail that Nav is craving to follow. But she doesn't, instead she pulls out her work tablet and reads over Invader Minut's reports.

_Nav pulls down on her high collar before giving Pax a even brighter smile. Something Nav can get away with._

Invader Minut is a interesting invader. He is average height with green eyes. He's the same height as Lyn but his notes are not going down the same route that Lyn did.

_Pax is greeted by another Irken asking for a talk alone. She's afraid that she would have to tell them to go away, her free time is taken but she isn't allowed that opportunity._

Nav is reaching her work room as she finishes her work. The green eyed Invader has already taken over 10 planets, just a little slower then Lyn. But he doesn't do the same impressive photo taking Lyn does.

_Lyn is greeting Pax, alone with just the two of them. A large Control Brain is watching the show down between the two females._

"Are you done chasing her?" Kat's snarling is what greets Nav as she settles into the work chair. "Yes, I am. Do you know anything about Invdaer Minut?" Nav asked hooking the tablet onto the navigation panels. "Ugh," Kat is groaning as she holding her head.

_No one but Lyn knows what has happened in this room. It reeks of iron and the remains of Pax._

"He graduated in the same clutch as me." Kat is somewhat proud as she says this fact, like it's some grand thing. "Oh really?" Nav is looking at the photo of Minut. He looks ugly and just plan weird.

_At least, for now. Lyn is ripping the ugly antennae the bitch has, it takes a bit of effort but she gets the things out and she shoves them into her pockets. The video she sent to the Tallest will show them._

Nav isn't allowed to ask any more questions. The flood of disgust and searing anger is leaking into the rooms. Her antennae trace it to the vents above, where the emotions of three Irken is coming in. tingling and feeling sensitive Nav is forced to feel the same emotions the Irken are feeling.

Tears are brought into her eyes, which have Nav roughly rubbing at them as her defective antennae bob to the sorrow hanging in the air. They soak in it, like some sort of melted sugar it drapes and wraps around Nav.

It's painful and sad.

She hopes those three who feel this strongly get better.

_(she doesn't know that the reason it's so strong is that it's coming from the Tallests.)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Nav is left wondering how this all came to be. Whilst the video was muted and the words the Tallest said didn't leave anyone in the dark Nav has a feeling they left some things out. Invader Minut is placed under watch as he is following the same path as Lyn.  
> -He is later culled for being a "threat" once he conquers his 11th planet.  
> -Nav later finds out it was Pax who was brutally culled by Lyn. She isn't sure how to feel because it happened the same day Nav and Pax had a friendly chat.  
> -Some days Nav could feel the gentle touches Pax gave her antennae. She wishes she paid attention to the fond way Pax talked about Tallest Red.


	4. Freak off a Leash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nav makes it to the Tallest area, where other import Irken's are. Red is throwing a fit, as if the aggressive way he ripped up a computer is just a fit. It's not and everyone knows this.   
> Purple is staring where the video had just played.
> 
> It's clear that Lyn didn't hack into the Armada to play the video.
> 
> She has allies here and suddenly Nav is worried.

Chapter 4 Freak off a Leash

The rain was always pouring, steady with it droplets falling from the skies. There's feet shuffling around and muffled shouts that the sound of rain drowns out to all who bother to listen. Overhead stormy clouds gather, dark and looming as it thunders and crackles with claps of lighting within the clouds. Three fingers grab ahold of the rain coat and tug it closer to their chilled skin. 

The raincoat made on this planet is designed after the glasswings Papillion. It's a elegant style that everyone loves, it's used for everything meant to kept this consent rain at bay. The over hangings above are based on the wings itself. See through and the same webbing of black, shaped to the wings and even slowly swirling in circles. Many of those overhanging's are mounted up, layered so not even a gap is left as they turn in slow circles.

Everything here has some sort of butterfly or moth design to them. Pêche has always loved the way his planet was designed, to the turning fans above to the flower pattern pathways. It's always been so lively and happy here, even if there has been times of civil war amongst the different species of Papillon.

(he pretends not to notice how some Papillon sub species are extinct thanks to these wars)

At least things used to be so pretty and calm. Now there isn't even a chance for different Papillon to fight one another as now the planet has been conquered by the Irken race. "Ugh, now I wish for the rain to stop." A dainty glasswing Papillon hissed out shaking their head and their shoulders to get rid of the rain clinging to them. "All thanks to that Irken bitch." She hissed out, her needle teeth bared before she relaxed.

Pêche stood next to her, rubbing his palms. After Invader Lyn had conquered the planet and left the world was left alone for a few days, until another Irken came in and started sorting everyone into their new jobs, he said his name was something like. . . Docky? Dunce? Dounky?

It's hard to know Irken names when they don't translate well into the Papillon language. The only reason Pêche or any Papillon knew Lyn's name was because she knew their language from being a fake, _false_ Papillon.

"Been flying long?" Pêche offered since it looks like the glasswing was talking to him. She turned her black oval head towards him and her shiny orange eyes stared wide at him. She had curly lashes that caught some dew drops. "Yes!" She gasped out exhausted from her new job. "Glasswings aren't meant for this type of work! Our wings are too fragile to be a delivery bug!" She's waving her thin hands around in the air, she has all four of her claws but her gloves are the thin type of leather, meant for some vanity type of worker. 

Not a labor type of worker. 

She's going off about how her job isn't right, how that Irken who came after Lyn is going to pay for making her had bruises on her arms and hands. Her thin stick like antennae are bouncing in her movements and they have small bands of gold wrapped around the tips and the base. "Did you make jewelry?" Pêche cut the glasswing off, pointing at her antennae that held some gold, when he glances at her wings he's surpiesd to see no gold or any type of jewelry there either.

(there's some old piercing holes at the tips of the glasswing's wings but nothing hangs from her.)

The female stops her rambling to eye Pêche from huffing. "Yes, you can say that." She's rolling her right hand in the air before she's doing the same messaging motions Pêche is doing. 

They both lost their old job to become a delivery bug as she said. The glasswing made some vanity type of objects and Pêche made food of sorts.

 _Used_ too at least.

Pêche turns away from the female, finally his hands aren't hurting and he can get back to finishing the boxes he has to drop off to the Irken ships at the docking ports. Opening his wide wings, he ignores the gasp the glasswing gives behind him and takes off from the ground. The rain isn't a problem to the Papillon when they fly, the only one's that have trouble are those who wings' are just too thin to fly for very long.

His antennae tuck and fold closer to his head as he takes his time flying in the air. Thick gloves and clothes are perfect for flying in cold winds and always-falling rain in this planet. It's normal, waking up hearing the rain fall and it's normal when the rain clouds stay when you tuck into the hanging bed in your room.

_(the first thing Pêche knew when he hatched from the Hatchery was rain. It's a sound that you hear that's only muffled deep underground. The nanny had hushed his cries and showed him the red that hatching day, him and every other hatched Papillon that came out that day. How peaceful was it looking up at the glasswing window on the ceiling. The dirt and clay around the wiindow kept the rain out but it was so wonderful seeing the rainstorms as a hatchling, the rain falling and the clear window catching the droplets before the arch had them slipping off.)_

With a hefty landing, Pêche made it to the Irken infested area of his home planet. The earthy tones that once ruled the area was drowned in the space colors the Irken wear and bore to the world. That bright pink and magenta color. Some Irken stood working outside too, tiny little Irken's with some purple tinted wears, their gloves are the same as Pêche's, only thing is all of theirs' are short and lack the care Pêche's has.

He had to land slightly away from the shipping port, the crude umbrellas that protect these Irken are too small for any Papillon to land under, only meant for tiny Irkens. There's a lone leaf umbrella stand, it's wide and just big enough for other delivery Papillon to fly under and to shake off at. From there they have to lean over and hand the bags or boxes over to the Irken that stands under _their_ tiny umbrella.

That's how most drop offs are like. Crowded, full of the tacky Irken's and their uptight snobby attitude. 

Papillon who are stuck here are silent most of the time. Wings folded and tucked under their arms and out of pulling distance. Those Irken are like hatchlings, demanding, tiny and very grabby. 

Pêche walks under the leaf overhang, shaking off the water that clung to his jacket and head. He feels like a type of chien when he shakes off the water, it's normal but at the same time under the watcherful eyes of Irken it feels like a taboo thing to do. To shake off the water.

"Next!"

The tiny olive skin Irken is shouting, every time he gets a new shipment. Then the empty clawed Papillon steps out of the way, away from the feisty Irken and then they spread their pretty wings and off they go, onto the next order.

"Next!"

There isn't a lot of the Pieridae Papillon here, clustered under the overhang. Pêche feels sorry for the many dainty Papillon that stands next to him and under the leaf. They weren't meant for long flights and hefty bags of product.

"Next!" 

Pêche watches as a Hesperiidae steps forward, their tiny arms struggling to hold out the boxes they had to drag here. Every other Papillon hisses and chitters in soft worry as the Hesperiidae's arms shake. The Irken on the other side narrows their green eyes, as if judging the other ailen. But there's a relif of sighs as the box is taken from the tiny Hesperiidae.

"Next!"

The Irken shouts this out, ignoring the Hesperiidae as they step back into the rain. Every one can see the drain that is taking over the tinier Papillon, it's unfair and plain unlucky if you get slotted to the wrong job. Pêche shoves his bags of goods over to the Irken, they grab onto the leafy bags in a haste, not wanting any of the contents to spill out onto the muddy puddles.

They glare at Pêche but what can they do? 

He steps into the rain and turns his back onto the Irken. Here in the rain every Papillon is safe, the rain burns and scolds the Irkens easily. Like the fire crytals do to the fruit. It's safe here in the rain, but Pêche knows better. He makes quick work to rush out of there, his wide wings taking his far away in quick time.

Those PAK's that litter the back of every Irken is the true worry. While they may not be waterproof they still hold a threat unknown to every Papillon.

"Next!"

Well, at least that's what everyone thinks. But Pêche knows better, he's seen the horror that PAK can bring.

And as he soars through the rain, his wings slicing the rain as he heads to the nests of homes, he grins. Tipping his head back he takes in the rain storm. Thunder rumbles above, the clouds are split by lighting and he can hear Irken's scream.

He's also seen the horror's of what the rain does to a unprotected Irken.

* * *

Nav is standing with the other Irken in the hanger room, a sort of meeting is happening again after the act Lyn pulled. Tallest Purple and Red stood in the center, the last meeting of the day is with the 'important' and taller Irken of the Armada. They're speaking and shouting on their platform, their words unknown and muffled to Nav. There's a image of Lyn behind them, displayed on the window. It moves and distorts at times, the hologram of Lyn is glitching, her blue eyes can look so calm at times but then the image flickers and Nav can see blood on Lyn.

Kat is standing next to Nav, her normal antennae pointed forward and towards the Tallest. Her eyes are wide and sparkling, every quick movement is followed by her head, like every other Irken in this room. Nav doesn't follow along, her eyes are busy taking in Lyn in her glitchy photo before they slowly trace over to the photo of Pax.

Pax photo isn't as glitchy as Lyn's photo. In fact, the image of Pax is normal. She's shown in her lab outfit, the white coat is clean of any blood, her red eyes bright as she gives a tiny smile. Her perfect antennae are still there. . .

"...keep a eye...for any one. . . ** _Lyn_**. . .traitor to the Irken race. . ."

Idly Nav digs her hands into the pocket's of her skirt. The urge to grab her defects are strong, but the angry and distressed emotion of the Tallest had Nav refusing to go through with her urge. Faintly she can feel the ghost touch of Pax.

When she twirled her claw over the ends and when she spoke fondly to Nav. Like they were friends, even if Pax looked scared of Nav, she would never do what Lyn had done. Attack another Irken? That's unheard of, well, not really, but killing them? For no known reason? _That's_ unheard of. Kat is chittering now and when Nav tunes into the other Irkens as well, they are chittering back at the Tallest.

Both of which stood tall and very murderous. 

Nav chitters in too, late to the group but no one really cares that she's late. Everyone is wiggling their antennae at Tallest Red, who stood the most aggressive out of the two. His back his turned to the group, but his claws are bared and his teeth are shown at the image of Lyn. His snarls rumble deep under the tile floors and they bounce around the room.

When Nav glances at Purple, her head bowed into the high collar she starts to understand.

Tallest Purple is more calm of the two, whilst he isn't poised to lunge, he still has his claws bared for a attack. His eyes are sadly tracing his co-tallest, their long antennae is lowered as he slowly turns to the image of Pax.

Two emotions that is being shown. Nav's curly antennae start to tingle and rumble, it makes her skull start to tickle and she shivers slightly to get rid of the feeling. Her right antennae is picking up the anger Red has towards Lyn. It's strong and runs deep into her skull. It's telling her that something is _there, it's right there, why can't you tell?_

Her left antennae is soft and gentle in it's signals, it's picking up the somber emotion Purple has towards the whole situation, like he could've stopped this whole thing in a way. _It's there, you see? It's right there you just need to look._

Kat picks up her head, her elbow bumps into Nav as a sort of 'hey-follow-the-lead' when Nav doesn't pick up her head aswell. When Nav does she sees that everyone is now filtering out of the room. "It's over?" She whispers to Kat, standing up from the chair, Kat is standing next to Nav before nodding. She looks normal, like she couldn't pick up the clues in the air.

"Yeah, their backs are turned to us." Kat points out, no bight in her voice. Nav follows behind Kat before the tiny Irken moves out of the way and has Nav lead. ' _Right, I'm the taller of us.'_ Nav makes easy work leaving the room, but she chances one last look back at her Tallest.

Purple is huddled next to Red, who no longer has his teeth bared. Their antennae are almost touching but Purple is talking to Red.

After the important meeting, one that Nav still can't recall, everyone is left tense. The Tallest aren't seen as much anymore, no longer are they hanging around the snack areas, no longer are they laughing and pointing at the shorter Irkens.

Nav is left alone at the snack rooms, it's empty once again. For the third time this whole week, the room usually has the Tallest here. It's the more fancy and better one of all snack rooms. The big table that sits of the Tallest is empty, void of any activity. 

It feels all so wrong, Nav is nervously rolling the snack bar between her claws as she steps closer to the table. It's a warm magenta color, the seats look comfy with the plush that covers it. When Nav runs a claw on the surface of the table she leaves behind a clean streak of her action. Her black glove comes back with a layer of dust. No one really sits down to eat here.

They take the food and drinks and then they eat it somewher else.

But here in the dimly light room, Nav is alone and she breathes in the dust. 

Nav takes a seat at the Tallest table. With no one here, who is there to stop her? But she doesn't dare take the seat that Red and Purple own. Instead she pulls another chair from a different table over. She uses a napkin to clean the table before she settles down.

Her drink leaves a ring of sugary residue behind every time she picks it up to take a sip.

It's cold in the room, with no one else to make the place warm with their bodies. 

Turning to her right, she can look out the wide windows, into the space that slowly moves by. Other fleets are flying past every so often and even if the ghost of her Tallest sit with her, Nav feels calm. There is no tension here. No strained air between Irkens when they stand next to one another.

As Nav sips from her soda, she thinks back to the strained air between everyone. Lately there has been more and more cullings of Irkens. Those who are deems "LIKE LYN". Nav isn't sure how to feel, when she gets another report saying a Irken she was assigned to was killed. Indifferent in a way, less work for her but then it leaves her open.

With that free time Nav is forced to watch and feel the emotion of other Irken's. Lately the Invader class has been feeling icky. It makes Nav's head hurt and her antennae are always irritated when she runs into Invaders. Like a itch that makes her angry and just not in a good mood.

(They're under pressure now, if they act too much like Lyn then who knows what will happen to them)

Then there is the defects. The one's with the bad, _bad_ defects. The unlucky Irkens who have one arm, or too many PAKS attached to them, or they are too short. (the ones who glare and snap at the Tallest) Nav hates them the most. They cause her curly antennae to throb and ping her skull with clues. It's terrible being left with them. Not only are they. . .odd but they are always talking about Lyn.

Every Irken tires to either kill them or just stir away. Whoever talks about Lyn or even acts like her are then put on a private trail with the Tallest and the Control Brains. 

Everything has been terrible lately. Nav has been stuck with Highest Pip for awhile now, he drags Nav everywhere he could. From collecting other navigators to even dropping off items to the Tallest. But lately only Purple has been answering. Red is no where to be seen.

_She feels him, his emotions leaking out like a trail. She can follow it like nothing, it's too easy when it comes to tracking poor lonely Tallest Red._

The sound of someone else talking made Nav spill her soda, in a quick panic she smacked the falling cup away from the Tallest table. There the soda was thrown everywhere and the sticky drink covered the floor around her. "I-I'm so sorry! I don't know-" But when Nav glanced up, from the mess she made no one was inside the room. 

It was just Nav and the dust, but by the window a hologram was playing a video.

It was glitchy and slightly laggy but there on the record stood Lyn. Sitting still, Nav's antennae swirled forward and pointed at the video. "Uh, wha-how?" Nav mumbled watching as Lyn patted her uniform down before clearing her throat. "Irkens!" She started off strong, her blue eyes looked dull, but at the same time the holo was so laggy Nav wasn't sure if Lyn looked any better since she left.

As Lyn talked, something about why she did what she had done, Nav frowned down at the spilled drink. The scared eye Lyn had was squinted slightly and she still had the other antennae of hers'. Not much as changed about Lyn since the murder. However everything here has changed, no one is save if they act the slightest like Lyn. Yet said Invader is 'free' as she stated in the video.

The voice of Lyn is clear as day, but it sounds so hollow and so full of revenge. 

Nav stood up from the table, careful of the spill and went to throw the cup away. Lyn ruined another thing for Nav. First it was Pax and now it was her soda. 

She stood near the window, where the video is being played and traced the shape of Lyn. She would've been such a good Invader. "If she took care of her PAK but now look at her." Nav pointed at the side veiwig of Lyn's PAK. There she can trace the chips and cracks it held. The ghost of the Tallest nod along to Nav. Then the gold bracelet's Lyn wore caught Nav's eye.

Gold wasn't a thing Irken's really keep. It's only real use is to pay for things, not to display on one's self. Taking a step back, Nav's eyes widen before letting out a breath. "How morbid." She whispers to the dust, fainting tracing her down defect antennae as she eyed the gold. Lyn was cruel but this was beyond anything normal of a Irken.

Those wanted posters of her make more sense now and the rumor that spread around about Pax's missing antennae is now found.

Lyn ends the video calling for help. Help that those who were treated just like her. Those who are wronged by the Tallest.

Defects.

Lyn wants defects from the Irken Empire.

Lyn ends the video calling for help via defects.

Nav leaves the snack room amess, she never threw the cup away and she knocked over a few chairs trying to get outside the room as quick as she could.

She doesn't like how well worded Lyn's video was and she has a feeling this could be troublesome. Her tablet is pinging with messages by someone. Kat? Pip? Other Invaders? Who the hell cares.

There's so many new emotions going on at once that Nav's antennae are also overwhelmed. Unable to pick apart each one.

Everyone is panicking and there's joy over the call Lyn made. Anger for Lyn showing her face. Distress for what Lyn has started.

But the two that Nav _can_ pick up are the Tallest. 

They are **_not_** happy.


	5. Sweet Tooth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nav corners Kat, her smile is too big when she explains her idea to Kat.  
> It takes a few days, after the thrid attack that week does her victim agree to her sealed fate.
> 
> "Oh great! I already got us some coats to protect us from the rain." Nav explains, giddy to be alone with Kat.  
> And since her antennae are normal, Kat can't pick up her other motives. Pip allows their vacation, only because Nav asked.
> 
> "Is this going to end bad." Kat grumbles, upset she agreed.

Chapter 5 Sweet Tooth

It's another meeting, once again the Tallest are yelling and screaming and just having a fit over what had happened with who-shall-not-be-named.

_(Lyn.)_

Nav is standing with the other Irken in the hanger room, another meeting is happening. Only 2 hours after the video was played _everywhere._

Tallest Purple and Red stood in the center, this time every Irken has been called in. Their words unknown and muffled to Nav, yet in a twisted way she understood what they're saying.

With the anger that's taken over Tallest Red, all that's really coming out is his snarls and growling. It has the smaller Irken's in front of Nav curling inward and shaking with each loud sound.

Tallest Purple is also mad, but he isn't the same like Red is. He stand still, sort of in the back drop as he lets his co-tallest yell and shout as much as he needed.

_(Needed, not wanted. Because this time Nav is tuning into her antennae, understanding what they are picking up and she can taste the anger Red has yet her mouth floods with sadness.)_

There is no image of **her,** no one speaks **her** name and it's best everyone forgets.

But everyone knows Lyn, everyone spoke about Lyn and it was best that everyone remembers Lyn.

Kat is standing next to Nav, almost behind her but she's there looking small and frail as the meeting goes on. She's whispering something but Nav couldn't care if she really tried. 

Nav, moments before this meeting started, over heard Kat gossiping to a Invader. The words they spoke hurt Nav, made it feel like she was never really important to Kat in any way.

_("You know her, Nav? That tall Irken with the defective antennae?. . . Yeah! Yeah her! I think we should be careful around her. . .after all Lyn was requesting help from defects.")_

Ouch.

Nav can cry over this after the meeting. Instead she stands tall, unflinching like Kat is under the growls. So what if she has a defect? She's not like _her._ Nav sniffles slightly, her connection to emotions are cut off.

Everything she was taking in feels muffled and muddy. Like she couldn't hear the words yet they sound unlike what she is hearing.

Every interaction with Kat makes sense. How she would be so snappy to Nav, so rude yet wanting to be nice.

_'She just wanted to be nice because I'm taller.'_

It hurt, dug deep into her olive skin and as her shoulders sagged under her own emotion she can understand now.

How Tallest Red can be shouting up there on his platform. How Tallest Purple is just somberly watching his buddy before taking over at some point.

_(she also understands Lyn in that twisted rage.)_

Kat has her claws clutching her skirt, fearful of the harsh words coming forth from Almighty Tallest Red. It's brutal yet the raw truth of what must be done. 

Her blue eyes glance over at her co worker, Nav, who is stands there with idle movements. She's always been slow to these meetings.

Her dumb face always staring yet nothing is sticking. Kat's antennae twitch, under her flash of anger to Nav before they still under the words of Almighty Tallest Purple.

It's unfair how someone like Nav can take a higher position in navigation and yet still be so-so-

_Defective._

Kat bows her head to the final words Purple is saying, she takes in the words easily and she watches as Nav slowly bows her head as well. It's sad, having to help Nav take the correct actions at the right timing.

But soon Nav will be culled.

Kat wouldn't have to deal with Nav and her weird questions.

* * *

It's been only two days before another out burst happens. There's rumors of such things happening but Nav has never seen them up close.

Well, sort of. She was pushed in the hallway leading to the Tallest's room and she hit the floor with a grunt. When she picks herself up, looking for the bundle of tablets she was carrying she is greeted with the sight of a tiny Irken.

He's standing on his PAK legs, tall in the middle and he's shouting about his unfair treatment. Highest Pip is also on the floor, staring wide eyed at the defect.

"Oh," Nav mutters, sliding herself closer to the walls and curling in on herself. She's making herself look smaller then she really is, as she see's the other few scattered Irkens scramble around.

They're shouting too, all these words being jumbled up and messing with Nav's head.

**"Get the guards!"**

**"Someone get the warriors!"**

**"The Tallest! Protect the door!"**  
  


**"Doxx!? What are you doing!?"**

**"Nav? Nav! Get up! We have to go!"**

**"IT's all BECAUSE of my height! Now I know, all thanks to LYN! I'LL SHOW every one of you!"**

The first Irken to face this traitor's wrath is Highest Pip. Nav was helping him get closer to the wall when a PAK leg shot out in a flash of light and stab her boss in the leg. It's a nasty wet sound that Nav jumps back from. 

She kicks herself away from the sudden attack, before watching Pip grunt out from the impact. He scrunches his face in pain as more shouts are let out. There's other Irken's trying to get out of the hallway.

But Nav slowly stands up from her place against the wall, her gloved hands press onto the walls as Pip let's out his own PAK limbs.

(each PAK has different limbs on the job you are enlisted in. Invader's have the best limbs. Suited for taking over planets and even weapons meant to cull.)

Nav is left on the side lines, Pip is turning around with his zipper teeth bared and his claws wide open. It's the signal that means 'HEY, LOOK I'M ACCEPCTING YOUR FIGHT'. Every Irken knows that bared teeth and open claws mean a fight.

Everyone has gone through a fight with another Irken. As smeets or even when your older. Grimacing, Nav shuffles away slightly, but she stops when she steps on a tablet. Glancing down, she's upset that she cracked the screen,

But that doesn't matter when the hissing and the sounds of PAK limbs sliding on each other is flooding the room.

The place reeks of emotions. Nav sits down on her heels and let's her antennae tell the story as the two fight and tumble around. Biting and scratching.

(Navigator PAKs are only fitting with limbs meant for that job, the limbs may be long, but the ends are not sharp. The tools within the PAK only hold the tools meant for repairing a ship. )

There's blood being thrown everywhere, Pip is left to the mercy of this upset Invader defect. Doxx, he was always meant to be the winner in this tumble. Nav can pick up his story of abuse from other taller Irken in his life. Never meant to be something amazing because of how tiny he is.

It's the sad life he is stuck with, even if he has conquered more planets then other taller Irkens. Nav watches as he stabs Pip through the gut, the metal PAK leg is covered in blood, no longer the shiny iron it once was. Pip has many stab wounds on him, but he still bares his teeth and gives a wet growl.

It bubbles up in his throat before his own, blunt PAK leg takes a jab at Doxx. It hit's the Invader in the chest, leaving him breathless as he tries to take in air.

It sounds wheezy and faint. They both have bite marks and scratches from this tussle.

"T-try and e-end me you. . .you fu-cking disgrace. . ." Highest Pip wetly coughs out, he is arched on the floor, some PAK limbs lay loose around him in the puddle of his blood. He's shaking as he raises up on his legs.

Doxx isn't bleeding as much, but he is on the floor, crumbled up in a heap of limbs. He's still gasping from the blunted end of Pip's PAK legs.

Slowly, Nav inches forward, something under her skin has her stalking forward, claws open as she circles the two tiny Irkens under her wide gaze.

"I. . I don't thin-k you. . .were ready.." Pip is still going on about his rant, one of his eyes is shut closed. Both from a cut on his head and to the attack Doxx had done to it. He reaches a hand towards Nav when she circles to his side. 

It's a sign for help, since his legs can't keep him up. They're becoming weak slightly and he doesn't have enough PAK limbs to fill in the job.

Nav slides up next to Pip, standing tall next to the hurt Irken. She offers her arm to him and let's him go on with his winning speech to Doxx.

She can taste the shame Doxx is feeling and she can feel the proud joy Pip is experiencing with winning a fight to the death. Doxx is left laying there, accepting his lost as Pip babbles on and on. There are no other Irkens here to bare witness to the fight, but Nav is here and under her green skin she is upset. Upset over Pip not finishing the job on killing Doxx for trying to kill him and trying to bring harm to the Tallest.

When she chances a look at the door leading to the Tallest Room she isn't shocked.

It's still sealed shut, with no noise coming forth.

"C-come on Nav. . . let's head to-to the medics. . .he wi-ill be dealt with. . " Highest Pip lets go of Nav to make his way down the hallway. He limps and leaves a trail of blood in his wake but he is proud. With his head raised high he makes his leave.

Leaving Doxx with Nav. 

When she looks down at Doxx he bares his teeth up at Nav. "Fuck off," He hisses still sounding out of breath. "Oh, feisty." Nav notes out before she punces the Invader. She doesn't hesitate with her attack unlike Pip. Doxx is left snarling and trying to use his sharp ended PAK legs to stab Nav like he did to Pip, but he freezes when Nav gives him a shock.

Her own PAK limbs are out. They catch the lights and they shine with the reflection of Doxx pinned under Nav. Taking up the hallway, like a maze of silver her PAK legs stab themselves into the walls and floors of the room. "My, my aren't you dumb." She mutters as she flips Doxx onto his belly. "Wha-what!?" He gasps out, eyeing the sharp serrated ends.

"Highest Pip may have the standard kit for every navigator on the Armada." Nav starts as she digs the tazer in her hand deeper into the skin of Doxx. "But I was a fleet commander before this job." She has the prongs nip into the base of his skull as her left hand runs its self over the Invader PAK.

She can feel the distress in the air with her antennae. "But on behalf of every Irken and on the Tallest. I think your time here has run out."  
  


\--

Nav catches Highest Pip in the med bay, there he is sitting on a high raised chair whilst these cute dainty looking Irken flutter around him and tend to his wounds. He as some tubbing and other. . . odd things attached to his PAK as he get's patched up. "Nav! There you are." He greets with a wide grin, no longer sounding so moist. "Highest Pip, im glad you got here just fine." Nav answers his call, slowly sliding up next to him but not in the way of the medics.

Pip is preening under Nav's gaze, a stark difference to how Kat would've been like to Nav. Highest Pip has never been really rude to Nav, only being demanding because he is her boss.

She can understand that.

"I'm glad you won the fight," Nav continues on, idly tracing every wrapping on Pip and every medical patch he now sports. "For a Invader he sure fought like a smeet." She finishes, her eyes landing on the eye patch Pip sports. He will be carrying these scars for the rest of his long life. But it's something to be proud of, it means he won a fight and lived to gloat about it.

Under her words Pip sits straighter, making a few nurses cry in worry, "Of course! I had to watch out for my apprentice and my Tallest!" He shouts, his one normal antennae wiggled in pleasure. the other one was crinkled, like a cloth scrunched up.

All Nav can do is wiggle her antennae at Highest Pip, letting him soak in her prasies and attention.

( _she doesn't tell him of her acts in the hallway. How when she got Doxx to stay still under her PAK legs she tore open Doxx's PAK opening and rifled through the thing.)_

Once Pip is patched up, with the cute nurses telling him to lay off fighting, Nav and Pip are walking back down the hallways. To the area the fight took place to pick up the thrown tablets. "None are brok-en I hope?" Pip mutters, limping next to Nav. "One, I stepped on it without knowning." Nav answers, feeling bad for ruining the work tablet but not too much. "That's fine, it's just one." Pip grumbles with a slight shrug.

( _Doxx is screaming, trying to kick her off but none of it works. She grabs ahold of a wire, thats snug to his back and twists the thing under her claws. She listens to hi choke and go limp. "This is your punishment." She mutters to him, gutting the inside of his PAK slowly.)_

When they get to the hallway, there is no sign of Doxx, only some iron PAK limbs and the blood that was splattered and smeared everywhere. Pip takes in the air like it's something sweet. "I see some over there." He points out after taking a prideful lungful. Nav goes to work fast, picking up the tablets she sees and the ones Pip points out. He cannot help thanks to his wounds, but Nav doesn't mind. She gathers them in her arms and nods to her boss. "All ready to go," She calls out, following behind his stumbles.

( _She doesn't kill him._ Oh, no, no, _he doesn't get that from her. Instead he is forced to have his PAK slowly gutted out and become empty. When Nav is finished with her work she carefully closes the PAK up and stands up. Her own PAK legs slowly fold up and tuck themselves back into her PAK.)_

_(She stands up and circles around Doxx, he cannot move and he can only fearful stare up at the shadow Nav casts over him.)_

_("Is it bad that I saw Kat in your place?")_

Doxx stands trail in a one on one with the Tallest. No one knows what happened to him but every one knows what his fate was. The Tallest call Highest Pip in after the trail takes place and when Nav asks Pip what happened Pip is proud to say that the Tallest gave him praise for 'defending what is important!'. He wears a new badge to his uniform and proudly shows Nav a sticker he got too.

It's placed on his PAK, on the top and it's a image of a smiling hotdog with cheese dripping over it.

Over the following days more attacks like Doxx happens too. It increases one after another, it has some Irkens on edge and Nav isn't too worried really. They ignore her and attack other Irkens. For once her defect is protecting her from attacks.

During these moments, Nav is able to befriend Highest Pip. Suddenly he isn't _just_ boss anymore. He no longer has her running around being a errand boy. Pip is lingering by her desk more, chatting to her and even mentioning when her favorite sweets are in stock.

Kat becomes more and more of a enemy during this time too. During Nav's time alone after work she sits on her bed. Her hands rolling a item between them over and over. Here in her room, she recalls what she did to Doxx. Her PAK hums it's soothing sound as she stares at the bundle of wires.

She had ripped them out of Doxx, they are multi colored. Red, Blue, Yellow and even a Purple, all bundled and tangled up into a ball with some wires poking out.

("Is it bad that I saw Kat in your place?")

Maybe it's long over due, but Nav should ask Kat to hang out some time. Maybe visit that Papillon planet together under the plan of a vacation. 

* * *

Pêche is laying in his over hang. It's a small round house, hanging high in the tree tops. Made out of silk and broad leaves. It's his families house, passed down to him and when he meets the one for him, when they have hatchlings the house will be given to them.

Only one, out of the clutch a normal Papillon pair have only one of the hatchlings will get the house.

He got lucky when his mother and father only had him.

Hanging his coat up by the opening, no door needed he shaked his wings and antennae free of any subborn droplets. It's been a few months under the ruling of the Irken race, lately it's gotten a little _too_ tense with his new rulers.

Settling into his room, he pulled his smaller second pair of arms out from his tucked wings and bit into the fruit he stole. It's a giant mangue, something the Irkens have learned to love. It's a fruit that's been put under lock and key now, so it's something that many Papillon have been smuggling out.

From what Pêche has gathered, Lyn had gone insane and has it out for her own race.

' _How strange, I'm sure you wouldn't be happy dad, but then again you were never a normal Irken.'_

Pêche slowly eat his mangue. Watching as the rain continued to fall as he layed in his bed, following the distant movement of Irken ships flying off his home planet and some reentering the rain clouds.

When he finishes off the sweet fruit, Pêche eyes his room walls. In the twig photo frames is the photos of his life and everything that just makes him. . .him.

From the photo of his mother, smiling with her teal and jade colored wings wrapped around a tiny Irken Invader. His father is shown staring wide eyed at Pêche's mother, like she was something so out of this world. 

Pêche wishes that he could just _not_ understand Irkens. But his own father is a Irken Invader. So when Pêche is forced to see and interact with his half kind he, in a twisted way, understands them. How they bark and demand stuff from him and his race. It's a wonderful thing seeing another Irken, after his father left. But Pêche doesn't hate them. No, not when they have the same shade of green his father did.

The same weakness his father did to the rain.

How they look so amazed at the colorful wings like his father was to his mother.

It's just not fair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Pêche takes down his father's photos. He gently packs them up in boxes and places them in his dresser. So he won't see the Irken's face. It's better this way, so he won't be too friendly to nasty Irkens.  
> -He feels bad, after two days of not affectionally tracing his father's face late into the night. After all his father was so fascinated by Pêche when he ws hatched. "We don't raise smeets." he remembers his father saying. "It's so. . .new and strange."  
> -When it comes to the fated day, Nav turns to Kat and gives the female Irken one request. "Stay close to me." She says it's because she looked into the planet already.  
> -Kat is distressed, over the rain and over Nav who is grinning with all her teeth.


	6. Burying the Hatchet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Hello," Nav greets out. Kicking the loose dirt over the hole she dug. She watches the wings shutter, droplets flying off, and then gently fold and tuck close to the Papillon owner. "A Irken." He grumbles out, sounding tired and rough to Nav's antennae.
> 
> "Come here often?"
> 
> "You know what, I'm not dealing with a Irken."   
> But he doesn't move.

Chapter 6 Burying the Hatchet

Pêche was just breaking through the tree lines, tall plants that have thick trunks and broad waxy leaves. Big enough to catch the sparse sunlight that cracks through the clouds and waxy enough to stop the downfall of heavy rain. What he didn't expect to see was _her._

She stood out like a brightly colored Papillon, hunched slightly over some loose dirt but her eyes stood out the most. That and her humming PAK as both _she_ and Pêche stared at eachother. He also didn't think he would be here where he is right now.

Staring at the female Irken that is ogling at his homing nest. "Wow!" She would gasp, looking and even gently brushing her claws over woven furniture. She has olive skin with the oddest outfit Pêche has ever seen on a Ikren before. "How cool." She would whisper bringing a leafy cup towards her eyes. They're a type of deep red, like a murky red gem sitting in a puddle somewhere.

She also didn't have a drop of water clinging to her, then again she was wearing some sort of raincoat when Pêche saw her and invited her inside. His homing nest was high in the tree tops, so he had to wait and idly watch as she used her PAK legs to scale up the tree. "Very. . .neat?" She mumbled gently, with a care unseen in Irkens, placed the cup down to admire another Papillon made thing.

Thankfully none of Pêche's neighbors saw this Irken.

"Are you done?" He grumbled out, laid back on a silk chair, it was made out of grass fiber and of course, silky strands to glue it together. "Oh, yes." She pipped out and yet Pêche watches her grab another object to turn this way and that.

Just who is this Irken female?

What was she doing alone in the forest?

Why was the dirt around her littered with pools of green tinted puddles 

Why did she look ruf-

Oh who was he kidding, sliding down farther into his chair, Pêche just stifled a sigh and let the Irken go around his place of living.

Something deep in his bones are telling him it's best not to know at all. 

_She just knew that **they** knew of their fate when the cargo ship docked. When the smell of rain hit their green faces. The sights of bright Papillon wings fluttering and flashing against the grey storm clouds over head. "This doesn't look very safe." **They** mumbled pulling a purple raincoat closer to their body. What ever body heat they had was gone with the rains' winds. "Oh! It'll be fine, also isn't this much more safer?" She answered back with a bright grin. **They** shivered but it wasn't thanks to the cold air. _

_"Come on, I know they sell some good honey covered fruits here!"_

"What's yer name?" Pêche asks placing a honeyed pastèque infront of his sudden Irken guest. "It's Nav, may I have yours?" Nav bounces the important back at Pêche. Who in turns wonders why the Irken names are so very short and so _very_ strange. "Pêche." He watches Nav eye the honeyed pastèque, which the flesh of the fruit has a stick stabbed on the bottom for holding, she grabs the thing correctly but she doesn't bite it just yet.

Her antennae twitches for a moment. 

"Pesh?" She mumbles out.

Pêche wilts for a bit.

_She watches the way **they** react to everything. At first **they** jump at every wing that bats and **they** flinch everytime they step into the rain. "What is there to worry?" She questions over a cup of sweetened. . .something. "It's just that-Lyn captured this planet! What if she's here? She's been missing for awhile and I don't want to get jumped by her and a bunch-of-of_ defects _!"_

**_They_ ** _flinch after the ending word. Like **they** understood what **they** just shouted._

_Staring at eachtother, only the rain filled up the space._

_"You know, Papillon don't have a word for defects."_

_"What?"_

_"They use the word incomplète."_

_The rain rains harder, thunder gets louder and she watches with wide eyes as **they** stutter. "In fact I think that's a name of this really pretty waterfall. Let's go check it out on another day."_

Nav is dipping her head slightly, Pêche waves her off before trying to help this Irken pronounce his name better. Papillon have more flowy, airy type of speaking. "It's a pretty name. Different from Irkens but I don't handle the smeets and thier names." Nav mumbles. It's a odd sentence she uttered out but Pêche isn't about to question Nav now. Instead he asks about one word. 

"Smeets?"

"Oh!" She brightens up, her smile has her spot between her eyes bunching up and the freckles that dot her olive skin are shown to Pêche. He's staring at her with interest now, since she's so-so very _incomplète._

"Your hatchlings! We call them smeets!" She finally chops into the treat Pêche gave her. 

He swears that there are stars in her murky red lens for eyes. (they're the same type of eyes he has but he wants to think they are not related species)

Pêche has his own honeyed snack, when he eats with her he wonders if Nav knew enough about Papillon culture that eating with someone you don't know means you're interested to know them.

But as she purrs (?) away, eating her snack Pêche knows that Nav didn't look to deep into his culture. Just enough to know the top shavings of it. "Well, my mother-" he sees the way Nav's antennae swing towards in, "- was named Amère." 

Next thing he knows, Pêche is bringing this tiny Irken to his bedroom. The room that holds the most silk. "Wooow." She whisles out, her antennae stay pointed forward and they track Pêche where he moves. Idly he touches his own Irken like antennae and wonders why _his_ doesn't act like Nav's.

"Here's a photo of my late mother." Pêche uses his second set of arms to hand the tiny Ikren the photo. She awe's at the pair before being sucked into the photo. Her pointed claws trace the female Papillon. "She has the same colors as you. Pretty." She mumbles.

_Next thing she knows, there's yelling and biting and just a brawl happening at the waterfall. **She** asked for it! For saying that word to her of all Irkens. **She's** shorter then her by inches, but that doesn't mean **she** is the faster of the two, _

_Everything is drowned out by the rain, from the shouting words and even the snarls that are happening. But she eyes the faint smoke that raises off of **her.** It's like a blood scent, it's calling to her and no matter how she wanted to end this fight, she want's to see the **bitch** burn and sizzle under the rainfall._

**_Her_ ** _PAK maybe like Nav's PAK. Has the same tools and even the same limbs. The only problem is that **Her** PAK limbs are just not enforced to heavy blunt hits. It only takes a total of 19 hits from Nav and there **she** lays._

_Helpless on the muddy floor, hissing at Nav and hissing at the puddles she fell in._

_"You-you traitor! You work for her! For Lyn I knew it!"_

_Nav idly twirls a PAK limb in her hands. The metal is thin and it bends under her hands so easily. The wiring inside of the limb will sell high here in Papillon since Irken tech is so advanced. "I wonder what purpose your PAK wiring will be put into." Nav mumbles tossing the thing to the ground._

_Slowly she steps closer to her enemy._

_Under the pale rain clouds, with the rain drops falling down harder._

_Nav thinks that this weather knows her a little to well and wants to help._

He isn't ready when Nav hands him the photo back. She eyes his face, his hands and then his antennae. "You don't have the same looks as most pure Papillon do." her words chill him to the bones. His wings twitch slightly under her glance.

Pêche may be taller then this Irken female. But he knows how powerful all of them are. "No I don't, you can say I'm incomplet."

_(incomplet.)_

_(incomplète.)_

**(defective.)**

Nav stands over Kat's body, her flimsy PAK has been broken down to smaller components. Make's it easier to carry here on the planet. In no time, Nav has buired the body of Kat. Which has bubbled up and looked plain _gross_ thanks to the rain. She's like a weird. . .mushroom looking thing now and no longer a Irken navigator at all.

What Nav doesn't expect is to hear a Papillon wing's flutter down and the soft thud of one.

When she turns to look over her shoulder she is met with a eye full of huge, _huge_ wings that look like they have eyes.


	7. Molting some Skin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I was hurt by her actions of course. I wanted us to be friends, since having defects like mine are a stopping point." She wrangles her fingers together, one hand twisting the glove. "Everyone has their own pack, and I'm always left out thanks to the defects. I had one friend maybe, but she was gone the next day."
> 
> "did she reject you?" He asks, wondering about Nav's life. It's a strange life so far.
> 
> "No, I don't think she would've but she was murdered."
> 
> oh.

Chapter 7 Molting some Skin

Nav spends a few days on the planet filled with the Papillon kind. Her tour (you can say) has her always close to him, he's always pulling the raincoats over her head tighter then they need to be and he even rants how she can't be seen. "Why?" Nav asks for the fourth time he mumbles it out. Pêche stutters for a moment, as his main set of hands pull Nav's raincoat over her head slowly. She tucks her defects inside the hoodie as his second pair of arms hold her shoulders still.

Both are aware of how deadly Nav is and Pêche makes sure to hold the Irken female gently. "Because the other Irkens here will think of you differntly." Pêche settles with before he pulls away.

She's always asking him why whenever she is able too. Learning new things is always a joy to Nav. Especially if the subject is something that _not_ fighting and _not_ Irkens. Today she sits in the food courts they have here. Pêche had to lean down to Nav's height to tell her about the place. "It's called Magasins de Restauration." He pushes the Irken to a table stand. Styled after a pretty flower.

Nav is tracing the tables fake flower petals, her eyes are sparkling under the design and she shifts the attention to the mushroom like seats. However she looses the gleam of interest when she sees the two heights of the seats. "I'm getting the smeets seat, aren't I?" She shifts her unhappy look to Pêche. The tall, _tall_ Papillon male is already settling down in the chair meant for the taller kind. 

He doesn't meant her eyes but he idly taps some fingers on the blooming flower table. The petals make for a flat surface to eat on but the middle dips down, making it a mock version of a flower. "Wonderful." Nav hisses out as she goes to climb into the smeet chair. It's taller, meant to have the hatchlings more fitted to the table.

"I hate this." She hisses out, getting comfy on the mushroom chair. Nav doesn't like the gentle look in Pêche's eyes as he watches her. He is looking at her like she isn't some deadly alien that _could_ end this whole Magasins de Restauration. "It's meant for the hatchlings, yes." Pêche finally speaks something to her after they sat down.

Nav ignores what he's saying. She pulls the raincoat hood over her head instead and glances to the other Papillon nearby. There's some sitting around the other flower tables. Achene a different color, however none are like Pêche at all. They come in all heights, most never reaching below Nav's height but there. 

_There in the far edges of this food shop._

there's a family huddled around a flower table. The same table that Pêche and Nav are at. There's a female with bright yellow wings folded around her body, she's laughing and eating something that looks shiny. There's a male with her and he's smiling and chuckling along with the female. Nav can't spot the color of his wings but his antennae stick out straight and far from his skull.

When Nav goes to look at the female's antennae there's a body in her way. leaning forward, Nav curls in on herself and looks down at the table. It's another Papillon that is standing at the table. He smells strongly of sugar and from what Nav saw for a moment before ducking down was the color of grey..

"Is this yours?" He asks Pêche, pointing to the small form of Nav who kicks her legs under the mushroom cap. "Tu peux dire." Nav isn't sure what Pêche has just said but she's hoping it's something kind.

Kind, something Kat never was even if she was terrible at lying. "Okay, foire. What do you want?" The waiter asks, and idly Nav connects the dots that this Papillon is like a food drone. But he smells nicer and maybe even looks better then the ones at the Armada. "Chaire chair, for the both of us." Pêche sounds kind. Like he is with a friend.

It almost sounds the same as when Pêche first meant Nav all those days ago. "I'll check, not sure if those Irkens took our last shipment to the dumps." and he's gone. Like a passing fleet. Nav slowly picks up her head, the PAK under her lays is humming softly. But the rain pour outside of the umbrellas drowns out the Irken tech.

"What did you see before he came by?" Pêche asks, placing a sweet drink infront of her. She reaches for it by nature, it's become normal for her to grab the items Pêche hands her. Like it's just something they are meant to do. "I saw a family." She whispers full of awe. 

Nav leans back again, as far as she could to catch the family she was eyeing down. "You look dumb." Pêche's wounds are faded. Why should Nav care when she spots a tiny bundle in the arms of the male. It's wrapped up in layers. The outer one being something like the glasswing coat Pêche wears.

It's tiny...so dainty and so....smeet like. 

Two fluffy antennae stick out from the bundle, they wave and bounce to the movement of the male. "Oh," Pêche is also turning around, catching the sight of the two Papillon couple with their hatchlings. "That's a uhm, smeet they have. Usually there's like four of them." He waves his straw at them, its a white and green colored thing that has Nav's focus on now. It's almost the same as the plastic ones at the Armada.

When she reaches for her drink and the straw Nav is faced with the strangeness of how very....underdeveloped the planet is. 

Pêche is talking about what's _normal_ for a family of Papillon's to have. _"five, maybe even the rare 12 hatchlings are born. Each have their own little clutch slot in our Hatchries. "_ His words are muffled, like he's speaking through a metal wall. Nav is squinting down at her drink, trying to understand the words he is saying. It's strange to her, like a bitter snack bar.

But she doesn't tell him to shut it nor does she really _complain_ over this. After all she wanted to learn more about this place and event the aliens that walk it. _"After a certain amount of nights, they all hatch. Then a care taker will come by when the hatching is happening."_ Pêche is still talking as Nav shifts forward to take a sip.

Usually the drinks here are better tasting, it feels less...fake then the slushies Nav has when she's at the snack bar. It's more normal tasting and _far_ sweeter then any thing on the Armada. Not that she would say that once she heads back to the main ship of course. Oh no, she'll just suck it up. Nav will just go back to her old habits, no longer will she have Pêche to talk to.

_"That's kinda why we have four arms. At least that's what most Papillon believe to be true. It was either that or just something we evolved to have. No real purpose. But yeah, they come by, swindle us in bundles of fur and pelts. All to keep the hatchlings warm."_

Pêche was nice to talk too and listen. It's something that Nav has gotten far too used to on this rainy planet. When it's late at night and Nav is busy tuning into the Irken radio waves she can hear Pêche snoring away from his room. There is no thing as doors here, so when she turns in her chair at the living space's chair she can see the lump that is Pêche raise and fall.

_"Then they show us the glasswing windows. On the ceiling. It cuts through all the dirt and grass and everything in the way. All so we can see the rain clouds. It's important to us. After all it never stops and in a way it keeps the freaks out from the Hatcheries."_

Nav rarely sleeps, so listening to him snore away on his over hanging bed of silk is a strange sight. But she never stares too long, who knows when he might wake up to her just watching him. If she was the one sleeping, she might kill Pêche just for stalking her at night.

So she never stares too long. Instead she turns into the device that comes out of her PAK and she pays attention to what is going on on the Armada. 

At some point during her stay the Tallest had another major attack, then suddenly it's nothing coming from them. No one has heard anything of the Almighty Tallest and no one has even seen the two. 

_"But that's our hatchery. Is it the same for you Irke_ ns too?" Near the end Pêche's voice stopped being so muffled. Shivering Nav shook her hand in a 'kinda' gesture. Then she held up one finger before slurping her drink down as fast as she could. "We are made not born, then we get placed in a pod until we are finished incubating."

"Afterwards a metal arm will come by and-" Nav cut her story off, a arm of a Papillon came into her space with a plate smelling of grilled sugar. "Here's your plate, enjoy." The food drone Papillon gave a little bow before moving away. "What is this?" Nav grabbed a fork and used it to poke and move around the seared....fruit?

Pêche never answered her and when Nav looked up, he was already chewing into his plate of food. "Try it," He offered. 

Her antennae wiggled and tingled under her hoodie. They jolted at the way Pêche stared down at Nav, like they were warning her something in the air. But with the rain and them being tucked under the raincoat Nav is left alone. She can't tell what they're telling her, just that they now tingle when she looks at Pêche.

"Is this safe for....Irkens?" She whispered taking a quick glance down at the plate. "I don't know what you lot eat." Pêche grumbles out, chewing on the slice he just cut out.

It smells _wonderful_ and so _tempting_. But it might not be safe to consume.

"Lair." She growls out reaching the knife to cut the sugary food. It _has_ sugar, which will help her eat whatever it could be. But the pinkish look that is under the glaze of sweetness is unknown to Nav.

Pêche is chuckling at her but that's not important.

* * *

"How did you know I was lying?" Pêche asked Nav. They had finished their little dinner date, not that Nav is aware of. Now they sit in Pêche's home, Nav leaning over the main entrance over hanging. Her curly antennae swirl around until they point at Pêche. "My antennae are defects, they allow me to know more then I should normally." She answers, sticking her arms out into the rain.

Pêche watches the female Irken roll her palms this way and that, her attention on the rain drops that gather on the leather gloves before falling off. "Ah, right you are all about being perfect." He mumbles ruffling a hand through his fluff. It wraps around his neck and even covers a bit of his shoulders and collarbone.

When he looks at Nav he can see how smooth skinned she is. All Irkens are smooth unless they sport any defects or scars.

Nav has no scars so her olive skin is smooth and soft.

When Lyn took over, all Pêche could remember was the blue eyes and the scar that she had on her face.

"Stop thinking so much, I can sense them." Nav groans out, dropping her arms and turning to glare at Pêche. They stare at one another for awhile before Pêche bows under Nav. He doesn't feel like dying. "When do you leave, Nav?" He asks instead moving to sit down at the couches. He has two cups on the table, his has very little sugar unlike Nav which is filled with pure unfiltered honey.

"Eh, soon maybe. The Armada isn't looking to safe but Highest Navigator Pip needs me. " Nav moves away from the entrance, she shakes her gloves of any droplets and settles by her cup. "Now more since Kat is missing." She curls her tiny three claws around the warm cup before settling into her seat. 

Her curly antennae settle down closer to her head but the ends are tangled into a knot now.

"Kat? Highest Pip?" 

Pêche watches the knotted antennae, the urge to reach over and gently fix them is strong but instead Pêche reaches for his own cup. His second pair of arms tuck into his sweater, trying to keep to himself. Nav doesn't seem to refuse any physical touch Pêche offers, but the longer he spends time with this female Irken the more he finds out that she isn't quite the norm. From the way she acts to the interest she shows to his home planet. 

To her curly antennae when compared to another Irken that rules this place.

Nav isn't the norm for Irkens.

In a way Pêche feels better about this but at the same time he worries for her. Because Irkens are _not_ meant to be friendly to other aliens. "Yeah,,, yeah Kat. She came with me down here." Nav's voice brings Pêche back into _now._ Away from his thoughts and other findings about normal Irkens and whatever Nav is supposed to be. "Where is she then?" He asks around the curve of his cup.

He doesn't see the glance Nav throws to his door way. He doesn't spot the way Nav shifts in her chair. 

"I'm not sure. Last I saw her was the day you found me." When he lowers his cup, Pêche can see the shift in his Irken roommate. She's staring down into her honey cup, with her knotted antennae dangling in front of her. Between the two of them. "Oh, that's a shame." Pêche leaves it at that, wuikcly connecting the dots on when he first saw Nav to what she just said now.

It's not comforting know he is housing a Irken that murdered her own.

"It's okay!" Nav moves forward a bit, her eyes looking up at Pêche and they watch, both, as the cup in her hands spill a little. "It was meant to be, her uh-her PAK had some virus." Nav mumbles gently placing her tea cup down. She is holding her two hands together, before she quickly changes her mind to fix the knot in her antennae.

"What?" Pêche also places his cup down, interested in the strange words Nav is speaking.

_PAK? Virus? Meant to be?_

He watches Nav struggle a moment, collecting her thoughts as she calmly detangles her curly antennae. "Yes, you can say it was a illness she had. I didn't see it until recently. After what **_she_** did Kat wanted to blame me. Saying I was helping **her**! Like-like I'm not loyal to our Tallest! I'm just, I'm just not the _norm_ but I'm not like **her**. I won't attack Pax because I was envious."

Pêche is swallowing harshly, unsure what Nav is saying and who is this **her** she keeps bringing up. Was it Kat? Or is Nav talking about something else that she just refuses to say? He knows about the Tallest. Their ugly faces is on every imported box Pêche has to deliver and he hates seeing the icon of the two with thier red and purple tints.

Why did they have two Tallest? It would be far better with only one but Pêche can't do much about it.

In a ugly way, they are also his Tallest but he refuses to even dive into his other half.

"So I had to lure her away, aftercall. Then I dug through her PAK. To find out what was going on with her and why Kat wanted me gone." Nav draws in a breath, her hands leaving her antennae finally. She even twirls a finger around the ends.

Gathering up the split ends and making them into a single neat curl. "What did you find?" Pêche pushes her cup towards Nav. Hoping she would take a sip and calm down. She did, she took the invitation Pêche gave her and took a sip of the drink. 

"Well, first off. A Irken's PAK is the most important thing about them. That's all you need to know, and well, Kat's PAK had the old memories of a past Irken that was a defect." Nav's words are like a harsh bow. She unveiled the whole story of Kat onto Pêche then. 

(and the fact that their PAKs also host past lifes? Pêche is left eyeing Nav's PAK as she talks. Wondering who used to have her PAK too.)

Kat houses the memories of a defected Irken who worked as a common food drone for the Armada. Often he would try and throw doubts onto his higher ups, hoping he could climb the harsh rankings that is apart of the Irkens race. But he never got his break and it took over 90 years until a taller Irken found out what the food drone was doing. 

Instead of just breaking his PAK and getting rid of him once and for all, they recoded his PAK after his trial. After that, Nav just shurgs, like she couldn't care to remember what the ending fate of this defect Irken. "They must've messed up the recoding." Nav settles with, placing her finished tea cup down. "It infected Kat's PAK and had her slowly becoming what he once was."

"So she was targeting you because she wanted your spot?" Pêche asks, after a few heart beats. He wonders if Nav is upset over the ordeal, how Kat slowly became a defect like her past PAK owner. "Mmhm, but I took care of it." Nav stands up then, gathering her tiny hoster and even her cup. She leaves the room and Pêche can hear her shuffle away farther into his own home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I'm part Papillon." Pêche offers the next day, standing at the archway leading to the guestroom. Nav is hunched over the chair, a part of her PAK is opened and when she twists around to see Pêche she is holding onto a weird device. He can hear static and faint voices coming from it.  
> She twists the top part of the device and all together the sounds stop. "Part? So only half of you is Papillon?" She asks, her antennae twitch before slowly perk up in interest.  
> "Y-yes, I'm only half Papillon, since you revealed something yesterday, I thought I'd return the offer." Pêche Is mumbling, his own hooked antennae twitch back but they don't respond like Irken's do.  
> "What's the other half then?"


	8. Insert Bar Joke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I know the hours you work, so I will be the first to call you." Nav informs Pêche, standing on the edge of the umbrella. She's set to take off in a few moments and Pêche was going to watch the ship. All the way until it breaks orbit and is out of the planet's clouds. "Okay, I'll be waiting then." He tells her watching the way this Irken checks over herself.
> 
> "I-I'll miss you too!" She shouts, making Pêche flinch slightly. When the words process he lets out a chuckle and rubs at his eyes.

Chapter 7 Insert Bar Joke

"Here, take this." Nav is pushing a weird item into the palms of Pêche. It's a crudely made radio type of thing she had made. It's shaped like a microphone, but the top can project a holotype, whilst the at the very bottom is the mic and speaker, even the thing that is needed to transmit the radio signal. "What is this?" Pêche is rolling her crudely made project in his hands. 

Nav watches her....friend for a moment, he's sitting on the edge of his over hanging house with Nav tucked between his large frame and the curving of the entrance archway. It's stiff and kind of digging into her thighs but she sits there anyways. Listening to the thunderstorm with Pêche next to her.

Here in this moment, studying the way Pêche explores her craft and the backdrop of rain, Nav feels the most at ease. "It's like a radio." She explains reaching over to show him how it works. "Sometimes I forget you Papillion kind are still so _primal._ " She says it in a joking way but the snide in her tone slightly leaks through.

Pêche doesn't seem to care, somewhat used to all Irken's way of being the so called _'Higher Life Forms in all of space!'._ He hands the weird metal stick thing over to Nav and snorts, "I tend to forget you Irken's are so high tech." But he leans down to see Nav's hands at work.

Her defects tingle and twitch under the gentle touch of Pêche's own antennae. "It's only connected to my line of communication." Nav looks up, after twisting the middle section and there the thing glows a faint red color, before a dull buzz is ringing just _below_ the rain shower. She watches the way her antennae curl slightly around Pêche's antennae, unlike hers' Pêche's antennae stay still and they don't react to any form of touch. "So you're saying I can only call you?" Pêche is reaching forward, one hand hovering over the item between them.

"Yeah, can't have any other Irken's coming down and killing you, huh?" Nav places the item back in Pêche's awaiting claws before softly detangling her antennae with her friends'. He has Irken antennae, hooked perfectly and even looking sort of like a Tallest's antennae. But they don't twitch away when Nav grabs them, and Pêche doesn't seem to have any sensors in them as she moves them around.

Unlike her own, which have _working_ sensors within them. They flinch slightly at her cold gloves which make Nav shiver but otherwise there is no problems. They move and swirl around on her skull at certain times. But now that she studies Pêche she can see the parts that _are_ Irken in him don't quite work well.

Kinda like her.

"Can I call you now?" He's finally glancing away from her radio stick and towards her. Nav catches the way Pêche's brown eyes soften a bit when he stares at her. "Sure, press the button on the side-right here." She presses the button first, trying to rush her actions. The gentle looks Pêche gives her and the soft gestures make Nav squirm and wiggle in her skin. 

Her PAK starts to flash a soft pink in intervals, they make Pêche jump before her leans back on his dominant arms to watch the way her PAK reacts and opens. Under his gaze of interest, Nav blooms wanting to show off the pride and joy of the Irken technology. A compartment on the top cruve of the PAK opens up in a hiss, before a sliver leg is jetted out. It curves above Nav's back and over her head before it settles itself in front of her face.

When Pêche is back to leaning forward Nav counties forward, she tugs the thing closer to her and then the very tip of her high end PAK limp starts to unfold, into a mini TV like screen and in the hologram displayed Pêche can see himself.

"What!?" He all but yelps out, it has Nav kicking her legs out in joy as her laughter rings out loudly.

Since that small moment, Pêche has been asking about the PAK. From what else is there, how does it work, when did she get it? Does every Irken have the same limbs?

She happily answers each question he throws at her, because if she's being honest to herself, Nav enjoys seeing the awed look on Pêche. How his brown eyes brighten up like a freshly blown up planet.

It's bright and so capturing that Nav forgets her main point of gifting the holo stick to him in the first place.

It's during the night that she pushes Pêche awake from his rest. He had just came back after his work, leaving Nav alone in his house and it made her upset that they couldn't spend her last day here together. "What...what?" Pêche's words start of slurred and slow but when Nav gives a harsh push Pêche is more awake. "I'm departing tonight." She blurts out fast. 

Her tiny claws are reaching for Pêche's own, larger hands. But they swerves from his main hands to grasp his secondary pair, they're smaller and _just_ slightly bigger then Nav's. "Huh? What?" He's groaning, squeezing her tiny hands back gently before rubbing his eyes. It's 'midnight' and he worked all day today. In fact in a few hours he will have to be back at work again.

"I'm leaving. Heading back to the Armada." Nav watches Pêche, how he is slowly waking up and during her whole stay Nav only slept for one whole day. she feels bad slightly, waking up when he has a job within a few hours. Coming from a race that is all about jobs and compeleting them perfectly, it drags her souring emotion down knowing she could be ruining Pêche's work ethic. 

"Armada....back to your base?" Pêche stopped rubbing his eyes, to glance at their hand holding. It's not normal for either race to hold hands, but he has never refused it when either of them reaches out to one another.

Faintly he wonder's if this is a old forgotten courting gesture done by Irkens. 

Papillion don't hold hands, at least not when they are trying to court one another, this form of act is done by dying patterns into their neck fur.

Pêche isn't sure what it is for Irkens.

He has a feeling neither does Nav.

She's nodding her head, before tugging her claws out of Pêche's grasp. Nav doesn't catch the sight of him still following her movement for a moment before tucking them back into his wings.

"It's getting worse on the Armada, the Tallest have gone into hiding now and they've left this guy called Rarl Kove in charge for now." She pulls out the tool she crafted Pêche, it's been colored and painted in a mock off color of the Irken empire. 

(Nav said it was because it was made from Irken items so it _had_ to be the same color of everything else, but here on this rainy planet there is no dye that is the same shade and tone of color.)

Nav holds her craftwork up, between them and she points at it as she explains her departure to Pêche. "Rarl Kove is another tall Irken, but not that tall really. Anyways, he's requesting most Irken to return to the Armada to report into his 'Very Important, Totally Pressing' meeting about the Tallest leaving." She gently pulls Pêche out of his laying position to have him sitting up. He's towering over this tiny Irken female. 

Here when Nav gestures around, waving the important metal stick around in her talks, Pêche understands.

He understands why his mother fell for his Irken father all those years ago. 

They're cute in a odd way, with their rounded off features and the way they speak. As if they know everything and can't be touched.

"He's the Advisor to the Tallest and since he is now in charge of us I have to go. He's requesting all Irken's who aren't invading or helping with I.D. II to go back." Nav's bright face falls slightly, upset at the request of Rarl Kove.

"Sounds like you don't really like em." Pêche offers out, gently prying his holo stick from Nav. He didn't like the way she was waving the damn thing around in the air.

If it breaks whilst Nav is gone, how is he suppose to fix it? Pêche isn't some smart tech Papillon, infact most Papillon didn't even know about high tech _until_ Invader Lyn took over. So with her waving the object around like nothing cause Pêche more stress then ever.

Nav watches him for a moment, her long talk going for a stand still in the gentle gesture of Pêche removing the holo stick. She catches the serial number of Kat's PAK ID on the side before nodding. Agreeing to the words her pack member just said. There's a brief moment, where Nav never finishes off her story. 

What else is there to say? Suddenly their time together is ending, this moment where she can finally connect to someone is being torn away from Nav. She's always struggled with her clutch of Irken siblings. To form the pack others so easily make, all because they glance at her antennae and scorn at Nav. She is only accepted temporarily into the pack because she's tall.

One of the tall Irkens in a already small pool of other tall Irkens.

She's in the grouping with Rarl Kove and what used to be Pax. There's others there too, like Lord Sizz-Lorr and that one announcer she sees everywhere.

But its always changing, sometimes she's right behind Rarl Kove but a new Irken comes in and Nav gets bumped below Sizz-Lorr. Right above the announcer a lot of Irkens like.

It never really matters because Nav is never below number 7 out of the 10 tallest Irkens. The Tallest aren't apart of the list, mostly because they are _the Tallest_.

And yet, here on the rainy planet Pêche lives on she's found someone who doesn't sneer at her. He doesn't pretend to stand her presence because she's tall. Instead he willingly let her into his life. He doesn't stare at her defect for too long, doesn't question why she isn't normal like every other Irken does on the Armada.

For once Nav is a normal Irken. With no defects.

"I wanted to still talk, after I leave." She mumbles, standing farther away from Pêche than when she woke him.

Pax viewed her the same way. She saw Nav like any other Irken, only that Pax saw a small connection between them, she saw the way Nav was isolated from others from her antennae. Nav saw the way Pax acted around Tallest Red and how she tried to hide it.

Under the dim light of the Control Brain room they formed a tiny connection, that was ended before it could be fully planted.

The same can be said here, in Pêche's room. Nav has been slowly moving herself out of this place, where the fire stones glow faintly. It's all that day long ago, Pêche, under the faint lighting almost passes for a perfect Irken. Tall, imposing in his height and even his antennae.

"Is that why you made the Holo-Stick? So we can still talk?" Pêche questions softly, not getting up from his spot on the bed.

In the next moment the perfect Irken image is broken. From the shine of his wings wrapped around his tall frame and to the fluff on his neck. There is some sticking up at odd angles on his head too. His skin isn't the normal green either, so whilst he _may_ pass like a Irken. He still isn't one.

Nav stands by the archway, it's round and tall to fit Pêche. "Yes, I didn't want to....I didn't want to just stop talking." She's getting into dangerous territory now. Her curly anetanne flatten and lower a bit, she pulls her navigator collar higher up to cover her mouth. It's time she goes back to where she is meant to be. "I'll come back, here to visit." She dodges the big red flag. 

Her PAK is humming and whirrling softly, under the pressure of emotion. Something she's been intone with since her hatching. "Okay, I'm..." Pêche is stumbling over his words, a small part of Nav is nitpicking at that stumble in speech. Irken's are _not_ really meant to stumble, even in speech.

But Pêche isn't Irken, even if under the dark storm clouds he can be a false image of a Tallest.

_(Sometime later, Nav is sitting in her personal room and thinking about that. How Pêche looks too close to a Tallest. He has the same height of Tallest Red and Tallest Purple. Even the antennae length.)_

"I'm going to miss you." Those words has Nav groaning softly, a faint rumble to her noise of distress. Both know that Irkens don't say those words, not really. But to Pêche it's normal. His mother said it to him when he would leave to schooling, and couples would say it too. 

Even friends to one another.

He feels slightly bad for making Nav uncomfortable, under his words but he means it.

He's gotten too used to the sight of the female. Here in his hanging home and even next to him when they do leave to the towns. "Sorry, I know you lot aren't used to those words." Stiffly she mumbles out a soft, 'It's okay,,,'.

Rubbing her palms over her face and then her wrists over her antennae, Nav can only pretend her movements are cleaning her of the words. They're strong and the emotions in the air have her antennae tingling in a nice way. "It's not something we say to one another, mostly to like, food items or sorts." She squeezes the words out, her eyes dodging the soft look on Pêche.

She hates it but that's a fat fucking lie.

"Right, right. You lot are so odd." Pêche is shuffling a bit before he stands up. He offers his hand to Nav, in hopes that maybe she can hold his hand one more time.

They both eye his open hand, before Nav hovers her own claws over his. "I shouldn't," She mumbles, her other hand fixing her collar. It cover's her mouth and the freckles that dot her nose and cheeks. "But for one last time." and she takes Pêche's hand.

Hopefully not for the final time.

* * *

"Where is Navigator Kat?" Is the first thing Highest Navigator Pip asks to Nav. "She died whilst on the planet." Nav answers fast, pulling herself out of the fleet ship. She took a ride on a shipment, the Irkens commanding the fleet allowed her to stay so long as she helps in repairs. which was easy, all in a job of a navigator really. "Really? Died?" Pip frowns, slightly doubting the answer.

Standing next to the other Irken, Nav wonders if he is starting to get suspicious of her. "Yes, afterall that was the planet **she** took over. Some defects had fled there in hopes of easy shelter." Nav had went over any and all answers she can use. All to cover over her murder.

It had to be done, she tells herself as Pip accepts her answer.

Kat was slowly becoming a defect, who can ruin the Armada from the inside out.

The Tallest will understand.

They walk side by side, from the docking port and go deeper into the Massive ship. "Has anything else happened here?" Nav asks, watching the passing Irkens. Most are sticking alone, no longer are they in groups. Some are even eyeing one another and even hissing faintly at those too close.

She makes sure to get too close to her boss.

Pip is waving his palm in the air, before nodding. "Yes, a lot of trails has already happened and as you heard Kove is now in charge, as appointed by the Tallest...he's...decent." Pip sneers out before halting at a door. It lead to the main Navigator room, where Nav works at. "We are tasked to weed out other defects working to take the Empire down. If you spot any of this report it to me and from there we can inform Kove about it."

The first day back is spent relearning everything. From the hallways being ever so slightly different to stop Irkens from touching, to the snack bars. No longer are there many Irkens hanging together. The most Nav has seen together is 3. The second day, Nav is sent to deliver some tablets to Rarl Kpve, he is in the other main navigator room, the one the Tallest take command in.

When the doors slide open, there are less then normal navigators in here. They stay hunched over, tapping away on their work panels. Walking on the walkway, Nav hovers next to the platform meant for the Tallest only.

In the seat of Tallest Red is Rarl Kove, he has his legs crossed and kicked up on the Tallest Navigator panel. A tiny Table Head Drone is next to the seat, she looks shaky and too weak for the drone work but she stays still so well that the sugar drink on her head doesn't shiver or shake.

Even if her legs does.

Rarl Kove is flicking through his own personal tablet, what he's doing on it isn't seen by Nav but he senses her there, waiting for his attention. 

She shivers, not liking how her antennae feel the air shift and how they tingle. He's happy, soaking in the position Kove now sits in and Nav can see it in the way he kicks off the Tallest Navigator to turn the seat around. His green eyes light up when he spots Nav, but in the sense that Irkens go to him now. "Speak." He snaps out, placing his tablet down for now. 

The Tallest chair almost smacks his servant drone in the head, but she quickly moves out of the way.

"Incoming tablet reports." Nav keeps her words short, wanting to leave the space fast.

Why is Rarl Kove so....himself? Not even Tallest Red was this way, those few times Nav spoke to him.

Kove glances away for a moment, tapping his chin before pointing to the Table Head Drone. Under the movement she shakes. The ice in the cup rattles. "Place them there and leave." Kove then turns the chair back forward, leaving the red chair to be all Nav sees.

Fuming at Kove, Nav gently steps up onto the platform, placing the 10 tablets on the drone. She watches them widen their stance, braced for the heavy weight.

She chitters a soft sound, before she takes her leave. 

Nav thinks about the encounter with Rarl Kove for a long time, how he looked happy and pleased to be sitting in a Tallest Chair. Her antennae bounce, telling her that the emotion he gave off was strong. It smelled of joy and just something good. 

It wasn't the way Pax felt when she talked fondly of Red.

It was like the icky, disgusting version of that emotion. 

Then she wonders to the drone he owns. It looked so small and dainty when Nav first saw them. Have they always looked like that? Like they can't handle the table head gear?

Either way, Nav is fast to push those thoughts away. She has important work to do here on the Massive. Which is to just stay alive really. Maybe help in finding Defects who want to impose on the Armada. The third day Nav gets to watch as some Irken soldiers escort a caged Irken away.

Sadly before that whole capturing, Nav had to suffer in that the resisting Irken smacking her snack food and her drink out of her hands. He was screeching about something with Lyn and the Tallest, but she couldn't bring herself to listen. The short fucker just really had to do that to Nav of all Irkens.

Before he could pounce on her a large soldier stepped in and jabbed his spear into the side of the resisting Irken. Sparks flew and then the guy fell over, face first into her hot dog. "My apologizes." The soldier dipped her head at Nav before clasping a cuff on the fallen Irken. 

"it's okay, it happens now." She mumbles, kicking the knocked out Irken in the arm. Two other Irken soldiers come forth, they clasp something else onto the kicked Irken, it wraps around the PAK and forces the arms right under the tech. Straining the limbs. "Here, take this and get another order. Sorry for the troubles." the female soldier passes a coupon to Nav and that was how they dragged the fucker outside the room.

They don't hoist him up, and just grab a leg and _drag_ him out.

There's another capturing of a resisting Irken in the room Nav is inside of but this time around, she isn't under fire.

Unfortunately it's a different Irken and they end up getting killed. 

It's the same ranting, about how unfair the Irken Society is. About heights and the treatment of them, she's a decently tall Irken, just not really making the perfect height of a normal Irken.

She has purple eyes, a lighter color of purple and she has hooked antennae. From her PAK design, anyone can see she worked in the med bay. Those around Nav are whispering, staring wide eye at the defecting medic drone. Those Irkens are always the more 'cuter' ones, with more rounded features and their pretty eyes. This one doesn't look anything like that. She's snarling and hissing, grabbing ahold of a coding drone.

The coding drone drops his papers, and other tablets before letting out a yelp. His glasses clatter to the floor in the room, it's open and connected to the hallway. Meant to just relax from walking everywhere. It's there that Nav took a break from reporting back from Rarl Kove, and it's there in the room that everyone watches this Medic Drone threaten a Coding Drone.

"I'll-I'll get the soldiers!" Another irken shouts rushing outside and into the hallways. It's there that his lavender eyes Irken uses a PAK limb to stab at the coding drone a total of 4 times. "Come back here! You'll all pay! For-For following the-" There's screaming as the drone attempts to take out more. But it's shut down fast when Nav stabs the arm of the medic drone.

The sliver to her PAK limb is covered in blood now, it's pierced through the thin arm of the attacking drone. When she turns around to try and snarl at Nav the tiny thing freezes up. No other Irken here is equipped with attacks. Sure they all go through the standard miliatry training but no one's PAK is fitted for attacks.

They all have blunted ends and rounded edges.

Not Nav however, she was fully equipped for killing. 

"A medic drone resisting?" Nav notes out, grabbing ahold of the tiny thing. She holds the free arm of the thing easily and she twists them under her and onto the floor. When Nav places a knee on the PAK it bends slightly.

It's made cheaply but not enough to break under pressure. "Wait-wait! Wha-what is a navigator doing here!?" She shouts, wiggling and trying to release her own PAK limbs.

Nothing is coming out even if the small doors to the PAK is opened. With her weight alone, Nav is preventing them from popping out. "A fatal mistake really." Is all Nav says before the few remaining Irken drones cheer and chip in joy.

All grateful that Nav stopped the resisting medic drone. When the soldiers finally rush in they thank Nav slightly before dragging a kicking and crying medic drone away. A few gentle chips from the wittnessing Irkens are nice to hear, but it upsets Nav that none of them really stepped up to tackle the lavender eyed Irken. There was more then enough here to pounce her and overwhelm the thing before a soldier comes along.

Instead, Nav had to step up and save the coding drones' lives and the few other normal Irkens.

It's all a pain but Nav is still smiling into her high collar at the chips of thanks.

"I heard about the medic drone Hoggs." Pip brings up when they eat together. Nav is stuffing her face with a hamburger, there isn't any meat inside of it but it's made out of sugar filled things. It tastes too fake and it makes Nav crave the more natural food Pêche shared with her. Highest Pip is talking, eating his bag of chips but it's all muffled because her head is filled with those moments long ago,

It's been almost 2 months since she left Pêche and she still hasn't bothered in calling him. She's been busy, Nav tells herself as she pretends to listen too Pip. Things have been getting worse and worse so she hasn't been free to chat with Pêche.

There's been attacks! She sums up.

I've been pulled from my work to be with Kove! She thinks.

The resisting Irkens have gone up, and I've been in the crossfire! She rationiazes.

The way he looked at me fondly and said he would be missing me is just making me too embarrassed to call him! She agrees too. 

"It's nice to see you're taking action on the recent attacks." Pip forces the image of Pêche out of her head and Nav is nodding. "Anything for the greater good." She mumbles, looking at the table in the snack bar. It's not a flower.

"When the Almighty Tallest come back maybe they'll hire you to be thier personal navigator!" Pip is gushing out, prideful in her. She can feel it in the air, it lingers and feels heavy agnasit her antennae. But the words brings a soft smile to Nav's face. "No, I don't think they need a personal navigator. Both Tallest know how to use a navigator panel."

Maybe Nav can call Pêche soon, she misses the sound of his voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I think I like you." Pêche calls out to the clouds, he sits on a broad leaf. Nav had left 3 days ago but Pêche can't help but think of the Irken female. She was so odd and different from those he work work with. He still hasn't gotten a ring from her. The Holo-Stick is safely tucked into his coat pocket, in hopes that he never misses her calls.


	9. Sunny Side up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Staring down at the yuti guard Nav begins to wonder-since when did this all come to be? Irkens-especially navigator Irkens-don't need yuti guards on the ship. "Oh well, we might as well use them like guard pets." Pip explained to her the next day. Showing off his own brown colored 'pet' to anyone and everyone willing to see. "I don't think we need them like. . .pets" Nav mumbles out, upset at the display her boss does.

**Chapter 9: Sunny Side up**

She spent her few hours before her naps to talk to him again. Softly she whispered her words to him as she hunched over her device. Nav's PAK hummed and whirled softly, she'll sleep soon! After she talks more to Pêche about her _awful_ day today!

After he tells her about what's happening on his side! Then she'll turn it off and curl up in her bed and nap for a few hours until work calls.

But she never did, she'll curl up mid talk with Pêche on her bed, and listen to him with wide eyes. It's okay, Nav tells herself as she folds her arms under her pillow. His voice is still donning on about this new fruit stand that showed up nearby. It's soothing and more deeper then the males here on the Armada ship. They all have that sharp tang to them. Whilst females voices are _just_ as high they aren't enough to be gritting on the ears.

Pêche didn't have any of that. It was smooth and sounded rich too Nav, maybe if the others' listen to him talk they'll say the same.

She pretends the anger that flares from the thought isn't what she thinks it is.

"But it's mostly calmed down now." Pêche Mutters, he isn't seen on the hologram, but Nav can hear the static of shuffling and moving around. "Really?" She mumbled, around the pillow she held. "Yeah, ever since the Tallest left it seems like the Irkens here are busy doing thier own thing to boss us around really." He explains, which all makes sense given what is **really** happening.

"Why did they leave?" Pêche asks, his face shows up on the holo gram and Nav couldn't help the sharp tooth grin she gave him. He smiles back, shyier then Nav but it is still a smile. "You don't know?" Nav whispers, hearing the Irkens walking around outside her little room.

It's not little, but compared to the Tallest's it is very, very little.

Chirping, which Nav found out Pêche does back _without_ knowing why, Nav went on and explained to him. During her speech she faintly wondered if this was a good idea. What if he used this to strike back at the Empire? To reclaim his homely planet and to be free? He starts to become a Lyn? Fighting and killing Irkens for so much as living.

But he smiles softly and the soft gentle look in his golden eyes has Nav explaining everything. Even if her PAK hums in worry, what would it matter?

So what if he might expose the true reason? So what if he does strike back on the Empire? Who cares if his planet becomes free from the Irken hold? Seeing the soft look in his eyes has Nav craving more of it.

She'll tell him everything if he looks at her like that.

Months pass on like that, Nav walking into the Grand Navigation Room and working away. Opening logs, sorting them, tallying those that are important and which are not, passing them on to either Highest Pip or the new Irken beside her. He's tiny, with shockingly the ever so rare yellow eyes. He doesn't speak to Nav but he doesn't treat her any different, his name is Bumble which she did snort at.

If it called for it, Nav had to face the ugly and horrible Karl Rove. She hated those moments, where she had to gather the tablets needing his signature or his input and make her way down the many hallways before she enters the Tallest Navigation Center. There she would have too address the Irken she hated and wait for him.

_Wait!! For!! Him!!_

Because he was always kicked back, enjoying his snacks and never really doing his work. Tallest Red address Nav better then this...this fucker.

Even Tallest Purple! But he was more pushy with Nav, tugging her arms or her shoulders when Purple talked to her about the tablets.

But Karl Rove just swirled around on _Tallest Red's_ chair, looked her up and down before pointing one claw at the table head drone. Where she would drop the work load on the Irken, who shuffled and stumbled before making her exit. She always leaves the room upset and growling, it makes her sad slightly seeing the smaller Irkens around her shiver and chirp softly at her. Anything to calm her anger because she's tall, which makes her all the more upset and it is a endless cycle for Nav.

Bumble only gives a angry Nav a hum before ignoring her again, that one change has her calm enough to finish the day. 

Then after work Nav heads to the snack bar, any snack bar because rarely do any Irken lurk in them now. Where she sits at a table chewing through her meal and staring outside the window. The food tastes different, no longer as good as before her interaction with Pêche. Every 3 weeks, on certain days the snack bars do haul in food and other important items of Pêche's work place.

(Nav is always the first one in line, sure she hisses and snarls and those in line forcing them to give up their spots for a tall Irken but it's because these items are from _him_ these dumb fools won't understand if she calmly explains anyway.)

On those days Nav is the happiest. Even if she encounters Karl Rove. Bumble gives her a snort, before he tunes her out and Highest Pip is grinning at the joy on Nav.

Then there are those days where the attacks happen. Defeats rebelling and doing anything and everything just to follow after Lyn's request. It's all a whirlpool of events. Work, Eat, Talk, Filter, Attack, Praises, Gifts, Repeat. Those who helped stop these attacks started to gain gifts, whether it be to tour a Tallest Building or some kind of item. 

Nav once got a ticket to the Tallest Snack bar. ("I can already go there." She mumbled handing it off to Bumble. "I don't need a fucking ticket.") But then Highest Pip walked in one day, into the Grand Navigation room with a....ailen. They were covered in feathers, but thier feet had talons which looked deadly enough for protection. "Hello, Nav! I've got to inform you of something today." He explained.

But who cares about whatever words he was saying because _who_ is this thing beside him? It holds onto a spear that most Irken guards use, but on the alien's neck is a heavy collar that beeps every so often before it is slotting around and settling back down.

They wear garbs that are dyed the Irken Empire theme, with even the symbol printed on the front. Nav stares this thing down and it gives her a bored look as well. "...oh!" Pip snapped his fingers jostling Nav out of her stare.

"This-" He waves a claw at the feathered guard before proudly stating, "-is a yuti guard! It was gifted to me for fighting that defeated Irken all those months ago! He's not much use really but if it ever calls for it, this yuti guard can help take down other defeats." It's shuffling the talons on the glossy floors, making Nav wonder if it'll leave marks.

She doesn't say much at first before pointing down at the tiny thing and the tiny Pip. "We aren't supposed to have other aliens on board. Is this a new law allowed by Rove?" She asked grumbling and slowly growing upset. 

Why did Pip refer to the alien as a 'it'? Doesn't he know other aliens have names too? Like him and Nav? Who else is enslaving these yuti aliens like guard pets? They have other Irkens to do this job!

They don't need a weaker alien to become a guard....pet. It's all confusing and Nav hates it. She hates the collar on the yuti and she hates Pip for even bringing this fucker in front of her.

Highest Pip falters a bit, his grin not so bright under the distaste Nav is displaying. Even if he was her boss, Nav was still a taller Irken. "Ah, well it's a new thing alright. Only few Irkens have them really...like the cooks and med drones!" Nav snorts, bringing her arms closer to her body before nodding. This convosation is over and she says it is. Pip has no say and he bows to her statement. 

Nav doesn't see Pip or the yuti for the rest of the day. 

* * *

Pêche is staring at Nav like she does to him. All wide eye and listening completely. She tells him with waving arms and wide gestures about the things that upset her. From how ugly Rove looks to his weirdness of his new job and then to the yuti guard. "None of this is normal." She explains in a huff. "We have other Irkens for that job. They're made to be guards. We don't need any yuti aliens on here!" She hisses out with a snarl.

It bunches up her freckles and makes her look funny, which explains that loving look Pêche throws her. "What about us?" He asks for a moment. It makes Nav pause, slowly weltering down her thoughts and movements. 

What about him?

"We are uses as shipment. Moving boxes and other items to and fo." He explains seeing Nav's blank look. "Ah." She jerks then, his words clicking. "You've seen them, Pêche" She whispers his name out fondly. Like it was something only meant for her to say in the safe place of her room.

"They're tiny things, those Irkens. They _can_ do the shipment but they'll buckle under it all." She traces one claw in the air, drawing the shape of boxes and bags. Then she does the shape of the Irken Symbol. "They're all pretty tiny. Those Irkens, they aren't really strong like the taller ones. So their PAK limps are basically useless too." She mumbles patting her PAK limb. 

Her's is the second strongest PAK ever made. Right behind the Tallest.

Pêche is nodding along, like he can understand the wise words Nav told him. It explains everything but at the same time it explains nothing. "But you!" Nav gasps reaching forward and pulling her holo tablet closer, taking in the form of Pêche. He's wearing a thicker coat this time with his fluff combed down. He's handsome in his own way. Being both Pappillon and Irken.

(she wonders if she can trace his ancestor. All Irkens have a ancestor, they're all related and yet not. They have one comment ancestor before the cloning started. Nav's ancestor is the same as most medic drones and other navigators-a decent sized Irken that went by the name Gritty.)

"You're all muscle and fibre." She rushes out wiggling her antennae. "And with your wings it's a lot faster for you to travel through the trees and vines!"

She spends the rest of the time gushing over Papillon looks and how well they work for thier jobs. Pêche mostly laughs before doing the same with Irkens.

It's all light hearted and bright. 

Then morning comes and Nav's happiness is ruined. She is gifted the present of a yuti egg. It's huge and has some weight to it in Nav's arms. The egg shell is spotted and speckled with white. The base is both a rich brown and a bright red that reminds Nav of rubies. "For saving us!" The group of coding drones gather around her in a circle. All wiggling thier hooked and perfect antennae at her.

They have nerdy goggles on and the long white coats on them. It reminds Nav of _her_ and she can help the ache of longing in her. 

She hasn't thought of Pax in forever and it feels terrible.

"To display?" Nav softly asks, gently tracing her gloved hand over the egg shell. Pêche had cooked Nav eggs once. They weren't as large as this one and he said Nav had to be motherly to them.

( _"Motherly? Now you're making up words." Nav twisted her mouth around the word, she clutched at the tiny green egg in her hands before looking at Pêche. He scoffs back at her, repeating her words in a mocking tone before gently unfurling her claws. "Motherly, because the egg will crack if you handle it like that!" He laughs out before showing her how to properly handle an egg._ )

"yes!" One drone calls out clapping her claws together. "It's one of the rarer yuti eggs! It's also one of the largest to be held on thier planet!" Another shouts, they're all shouting and chittering loudly under Nav's presence. But none of it really matters because Nav is rubbing the egg softly. 'Motherly.' she reminds herself. "Thank you." 

Cradling the giant egg, Nav places a large red pillow on the floor. It's raised slightly, off the main floor and it had a nice light shinning onto the pillow. The softest and fluffiest she can find. Giving the egg shell one last rub all over the sides and top Nav settles the heavy thing onto the display pillow. 

Like it was meant to be there, it's color pop and shine under the light. Where it'll stay until, unfortunately Nav either cracks the egg or it gets thrown away. But it sits there on display like it's the most perfect thing in the world.

"Motherly." She reminds herself, making sure the egg won't wobble out of the pillow. She tucks it into the red pillow, before softly and gently giving it another rub. The shell is thicker then the green egg Pêche gave her. So it won't crack right away but Nav still frets over her touches.

Now a new thing has been added to her routine. Before she leaves her room, she tucks the egg in and even rubs it. After she returns she checks on her prize once and then leaves to chat with Pêche. When she first showed him the egg he was laughing and joking at Nav saying she was truly 'mothering' the hell out of it.He even asks about the label, resting on the pillow. 'Perhe'.

_("What?" She gasps jerking the holo tablet away from the egg. She flushed a deep green under the words. "What does that mean?? Mothering? Isn't Motherly just another word for gentle?" She's screeching at a laughing Pêche now and she's worried that there's another thing wrong with her. "It's okay! It's okay, Nav!")_

Then in the middle of her nap Nav is jerked awake. It's a creeping feeling that drags itself up her legs and past her spine and settles deep into her PAK. Something has happened. Whatever it was has Nav sitting up and glancing at the egg on display. Perhe is still there not tilted or even slightly out of place on the red pillow. 

So no attack has happened on the ship but the feeling is still setting into Nav. Standing up she shuffles around her space, lifting boxes and chairs anything to check. 

Nothing is wrong and in her dark room the only thing bathed in light is the egg. 

Standing on the right side Nav sees the thing that had her jerk awake. On the top right side of the curve is a single thing crack. Lowered down to the egg's level Nav is sadly tracing the line. It's just one single crack, not even enough to show a hole into the egg but still.

She had been so _careful_ with the damn thing.

Why is there a scratch on the egg?

For the next few weeks Nav's mood dimmed, upset at herself that the egg had a dent in it's perfect look. Bumble asked about it once but Nav just expressed her distaste with "Lyn and her fucking plans." Which he took and accepted. Pip still had that yuti guard with him and he just assumed it's becasue of them that Nav is upset.

Pêche understands her worry when she told him every night. "It's okay!" He tells her each night. "Maybe the drones did that?" He explained hopefully.

Nav doesn't explain the expanding crackles to him and each day when she gently rubs at the egg she worries. What is the reasoning behind the expanding crackles? Each night she lays awake staring at the egg listening to it crack, she wants to pull her antennae out and stomp on the drones who gave her a faulty display egg.

Then it hits her. As she cradles the red and brown egg closer to her body, arms circling around the heavy thing. It shivers and quakes in her arms but she holds on fast. Letting it shuffle and shake in her arms before a loud crack has it stoppping.

It's cracking, this wasn't a fertile yuti egg was it? Nav cradles the still egg close to her body. It's stopped the shaking but she can still hear the soft pressing on the cracked side of the shell. But here this close-she knows what is really happening. Her prize gift for being a 'hero' is hatching into a baby yuti warrior...on the Armada of all things.

**Author's Note:**

> it's not really a Reader story but it does refence the Reader in due time! Most Irken's mentioned here are not my characters! Lyn, Pax, and Dez are not mine. They belong to the lovely TrashqueenofAngmar91, whose book inspired Nav! And got me back into Invader zim.  
> Otherwise thanks for taking the time to read about my navigator Nav! Who is weird and isn't really liked in the Armada. But not in the same sense as Zim.
> 
> https://escapismdragon.tumblr.com/post/637740598817914880/mostly-concrete-concepts
> 
> A link that will show some doodles of the story happening and how some characters look like! (The characters not owned by me will just be how I see them)


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